Errare Humanum Est
by eclecticmum
Summary: 24July2005 ...Updated Version to Post Soon... A Remus fic, taking place during the events of Goblet of Fire. How Remus handles all that he has lost and all he has regained. nonslash.
1. Chapter One: Remembrances

Errare Humanum Est

Author's Note—the title is Latin, it translates "to err is human".  As always I do not own anyone but Sosia, and I'm not so sure that it's not the other way around and she actually owns me!  The incredible J.K. Rowling owns Harry, Remus, Dumbledore, Sirius, and pretty much everything else.  A special note of thanks to my beta-reader, bbennett, and you can find this over at **_Sugarquill _**soon as well!

And if I were doing this for money, I wouldn't be putting it up for free here, would I?

Please, review in the box that is quite helpfully stationed at the bottom of the page!

Chapter One--Remembrances

Betrayal.

That's what he remembered most of their last meeting, the look of hurt and betrayal in her eyes.

"He did not do that.  Sirius could not have done that!" Her voice throbbed with tears she refused to shed.

"He was the only one capable of doing so," Dumbledore reasoned; his voice was tired and laced with a deep sadness.  "Sirius was James and Lily's Secret Keeper, I was there when they made the decision—I offered to take on the task myself, but James would have no one but Sirius." 

"And don't forget Peter."  She turned away from Remus' voice, hugging herself tightly.  "He **_killed_** Peter, Sosia.  Peter tracked him down and he killed him to escape!" Remus cried.  She would not look at him; she had not looked at him since he had told her why Dumbledore and sent him to fetch her.

"There were twelve innocent people killed as well, in his attempt to escape Peter.  Muggles who knew nothing of our world or the danger they were in."

"A street full of witnesses saw him—they **SAW** him—kill Peter and all those muggles."  If he could only reach past her blind faith in the perfection of her beloved elder brother, Remus thought desperately.  She might have seen something, heard **_something_**, that would help them to make sense of it all, because heaven knew he did not understand why Sirius had done what he had done.  "And do you know what he did afterwards, Sosia?  He laughed.  He **_laughed_**, Sosie!"

"No, I won't believe it.  Not of Sirius, he would **_not_** do **_that_**."

"Sosia," Dumbledore moved to stand directly in front of her.  She would not look him in the eye, "Sosia," he repeated, "Sirius sold Lily and James to Voldemort, and when Peter tracked him down, Sirius killed him." He paused; it hurt Remus to the core to hear it put so bluntly, but if anything would get through to her, it was this.  "He has been sent to Azkaban and will remain there for the rest of his life."  She flinched and paled at that.  "All we want now is to understand **_why_**, and we are hoping that you can help us with that."

She looked up sharply at this, finally meeting Dumbledore's gaze.

"You think I can help you..... you truly believe that..... " Horror spread over her face, it had finally penetrated her brain, just exactly what they were saying.  "You think I knew... that I might have suspected... and did nothing?  How could you?  I would never.... **_he_** would never.... " She had never looked so wounded, not even when he had told her of James and Lily's deaths.  For a moment she stood staring at Dumbledore in shock, then she turned to him.

"Remus?"

He looked reluctantly into her eyes, and saw there his own doubts reflected in the look of deep betrayal on her face.  She held his gaze for a moment, then turned abruptly, placed something on Dumbledore's desk, and walked resolutely out of the room.

Dumbledore sighed as Remus sank dejectedly into a chair.  He had been so sure that she held the answers, that they could reach her and come to understand this horrible tragedy.  And it had been his own doubts—in her knowledge, in her innocence—that had ruined their chances.

Dumbledore turned to the object she had placed on his desk, "Ah, well," he said.  "I suppose I should have expected this."  He was looking down sadly, fingering the object.  Remus glanced up curiously, and in the next moment he was on his feet and beside Dumbledore.

"No, she can't mean it," He said in disbelief.

"I'm afraid she can and does.  She has declared herself exile."  

On the desk lay Sosia's wand.

Remus recalled the blind panic that had sent him haring off to her little cottage on the outskirts of Hogsmeade.  Too late, she had packed the little she had and gone long before he arrived.  All that was left was a note stating her intentions to sever all ties with the wizarding world if it insisted on believing her brother a monster and she an accomplice, unwitting or not.  He recalled the desperate, and ultimately fruitless, search for her.  Visiting every place she had ever even mentioned in passing.  Nothing.  She had effectively disappeared from his life.  Yet another pair of lives ruined by Sirius' betrayal, he had thought bitterly at the time.

Over the next twelve years, he had never really stopped searching for her.  Oh yes—it had ceased to be his one pursuit in life, but wherever he went, he always had one eye out for any sign of her.  Whenever he had to move to a new job or a new house—due mainly to people discovering his affliction—he looked for her, hoping that this time he would be lucky and stumble upon her in some out of the way town or village.  He never did.

Then came Dumbledore's invitation to teach at Hogwarts.  He was torn—how could he go back there?  Walk alone through the same halls he had walked with James and Lily, Peter, Sirius, and Sosia.  Back when there had been no shadows to darken their minds, back when the four of them had been the best of friends, inseparable—the Marauders.  Back when Sosia cared for him.  But how could he refuse Dumbledore, who had done so much for him?  And there was Harry to consider.  He was at Hogwarts now, James and Lily's son.  He wanted to see the boy, to see how James' son had turned out.

He hadn't been disappointed either.  It was almost like having James back; he smiled at the memory.  He found that sometimes he had to remind himself that he wasn't looking at James.  Beyond the mere physical resemblance, Harry had his father's way of holding himself, his sharp humor, his sense of adventure, his talent on the Quidditch field, and his rare determination.

No, he had no regrets now about taking the position.  It had given him back so much of his life that he had thought lost forever.  He now had a friendship with James and Lily's son.  He now had back his oldest living friend, Sirius Black.  

He shook his head.  It still amazed him, the bizarre chain of events that led to the revelation of Peter's continued existence and Sirius' innocence.  One of the more unfortunate effects was his own resignation, but he couldn't find it in him to regret even that.  Not with all he had gained.

He sighed, sitting back on the bench, glancing around the neat little park where he was spending his day.  It was just a little patch of grass and trees in the midst of London, but it was well kept and children played there while their mothers watched them from blankets spread on the ground.  He was dressed as a Muggle, in faded blue jeans and a somewhat worn navy sweater, with a battered old duffel coat over it all.  His only inconsistency was the practically new pair of dragonhide boots he wore.  They had been a Christmas present from Professor Dumbledore and he doubted anyone here would be able to tell the difference.

He shook his head to clear his thoughts, running a hand through his short gray-flecked brown hair.  It would be just his luck to miss who ever he was sent here to find by letting his mind wander into the past.  It was an odd assignment; Dumbledore had sent him an owl requesting that he come here and watch the small restaurant across the way.  He had said that an old friend he needed Remus to contact would be coming by here, but he hadn't said whom—only that Remus would know the person when he saw them.  So he had come, picked out a likely spot and waited for this mystery person to show up.

He had spotted the plot of peonies while he had been looking around for something to distract his mind from the interminable wait, and had been reminded of Sosia.  Peonies had been her favorite flowers; she loved how they looked s if they had little faces.  

_Remus_, he told himself remonstratively_, you'll never see anyone if your mind keeps wandering like this._

And then, he saw her.  Impossible, he thought, I'm hallucinating, it can't be her, it's just not possible—not after all these years.  He got up, the woman he had seen was walking into the kitchen entrance of the restaurant.  Her walk is the same, he noted distractedly, and her hair—long, thick, and black as a moonless night.

He entered the restaurant and peered around for her.

"May I help you?"  A petite blonde stood next to him.

"Um, yes."  He looked around again, no sign of the woman.  "A table for one please."  He wasn't leaving until he had seen her.  Until he was sure.

"Certainly, follow me please."  She led him across the restaurant to a small corner table with two chairs.  "How is this?"

"Perfect."  The spot afforded a view of the entire establishment; he couldn't miss the girl now.  "Thank you."

"No problem," she smiled, handing him a menu.  "Your waitress will be right with you."

He shrugged out of his coat, hanging it on the back of the chair, and sat down.  Opening the menu, but not really looking at it, he scanned the restaurant again for any sign that she had come out while he was otherwise occupied.

Was it really her?  Had he found her after all these years, just when he had finally stopped looking?  If it was her, how would she react to him?  What should he tell her about Sirius?

Had Dumbledore known she was here?  Is that why he had been sent?

He groaned and massaged his head with the heel of his hand, he was going to give himself a headache thinking like that.  He still hadn't fully recovered from the last full moon.

"May I get you something to drink?"  A pleasant voice spoke at his elbow.

"Yes."  He said, not bothering to look up, I'll have a... " He happened to glance up just then and there she was.  He had no doubts now; here was Sosia, in the living flesh, her quicksilver-gray eyes widening in surprise.  

"Remus?"


	2. Chapter Two: Questions

Author's Note: Thank you everyone who reviewed Chapter One (mj, Wild Witch, H.L.B., Destiny's Angel, and Voltora), it is amazing what a little positive reinforcement will do for the creative juices! To H.L.B., I'm trying desperately to avoid Sosia becoming a Mary Sue, but I don't know how successful I'll be! For disclaimers, see chapter one, most everyone here should know the drill (don't own nothing, etc. etc.). This chapter has been reposted after being beta-read by the magnificent bbennett (read her stories, she's under my Favorite Authors listings—she's an incredible writer)!

Enjoy, and please review in the nice little box!

Chapter Two:  Questions 

She stared at him, frozen to the spot.

"Sosia?  Is it really you?"  He hardly dared to speak, sure that she would disappear again if he broke the silence.  She had aged since the last time he'd seen her, but he supposed that he didn't exactly look as young as he had then either.  The last thirteen years had been tough, harder in so many ways than the years of Voldemort's ascent.  

"Sosie?"  She just stood there.  "Sosie, sit down."  She blinked and sank to sit stiffly alert in the other chair, not taking her eyes off him.

"Remus?"  She whispered again and he flashed her an encouraging, if somewhat taxed, smile.  She seemed as shocked as he, but she wasn't running away.  That, at least, was a good sign.

"What are you doing here?  How did you find me?  What's happened?"

"Happened?"  Remus asked, momentarily confused.  "Oh, so you've heard about Sirius."

"About Sirius?"  Now it was she who looked confused, "What's happened now?  What more can they possibly do to him?"

"You haven't heard?"  He wasn't prepared for **_any_** of this; his mind was in a whirl. He was definitely going to have a headache, he thought, once again massaging his forehead.

"Remus, what's going on?  How **_did_** you find me?  What's happened to Sirius?"  The questions began spilling rapidly from her lips.

"One at a time, one at a time."  He smiled again; she was still the Sosia of old.  She had to know **_everything_** now.  "I didn't find you, exactly." Remus frowned now, reviewing Dumbledore's instructions mentally, "Dumbledore requested that I go to that park across the way," he gestured in the vague direction of the street, "and wait to meet an old friend he needed me to contact.  I was sitting there, lost in my thoughts and—I'll admit—not doing the best job of looking for Dumbledore's contact, and then," he paused, shrugging, "then you walked by.  I couldn't believe my eyes, I'd about given up on ever seeing you again."  He looked at her face; her eyes were averted.

"As to what's going on—well, that relates directly to your brother, and I think it would be better to discuss somewhere with a bit more privacy."  He nodded towards the petite blonde who had seated him; she and a number of the rest of the staff were staring over in open curiosity.  As if to prove his point, the blonde took his nod as an invitation to join their conversation

"Millie, are you all right?"

"What?"  Sosia looked up as if she hadn't noticed her until then, "yes." She shook her head, "or rather no, or, oh I don't know, Renee." She sat back in the chair and looked at Remus.  "I've... ah... just had some startling family news."

"Oh, I didn't know you had family."  Renee sounded surprised, then she blushed, as if realizing that her words sounded rude.  Sosia gave her a strained smile.

"We're somewhat estranged."

"Do you need some time?  Off, I mean?"  Renee questioned.

"Yes."   Sosia hesitated.  "That is, if it's not too much trouble," looking around the almost full restaurant.

"Don't worry about it, I really need to put some of these new hires through their paces anyway.  You've earned your share of time-off, so take it." Renee winked conspiratorially at them both.  "Get her out of here," she addressed Remus, indicating Sosia and smiling.

"Come on," Sosia rose abruptly and headed for the doors.  Grabbing his coat, Remus followed her out the doors and across the street.  Skirting the park, she headed towards a modest looking residential area.

"Millie?"  Remus questioned, "wait, don't tell me, your middle name right?"  

"Sosia Aemilia Black; I'm surprised you remembered."

'I remember everything about you."  She glanced at him, startled, then continued on their way.

They walked on in silence for a while, Sosia moving along at quite a clip, leading him long the street away from the park and the restaurant. 

"Sosie, where are we going?"

"Hm?  Oh, my home is this way."  She slowed her pace some, so that they could walk side by side.  "Can you tell me about Sirius now?"  They had reached the quiet streets between tall, comfortable looking houses.

"I suppose so," and, looking around, he began to try and make sense of the tangled web of deceit that had sent her brother to Azkaban and why he had broken out.  "It was pure chance that Fudge gave him that paper, but it gave him the impetus he needed to escape.  And his escape led to the proof of his innocence.  If we could just find him again."  He finished grimly, glancing sideways at her.  He had told her everything—Sirius' escape and odd attacks on Gryffindor tower, discovering the truth about Peter, Snape's appearance, the full moon, the dementors, and finally Sirius' escape on the back of Hagrid's hippogriff.  

"I only know what happened after the moon came out from the others."   A pained look crossed his face, and he hunched over as he walked, shoving his hands deeply into the pockets of his coat.  "I wasn't exactly in any shape to process events at the time.  If I'd only remembered my potion... but I had other things on my mind."  He gave her a sad half-smile. 

"Here's my house," she turned in to a neat little garden and led him to the basement door.  She seemed to be reflecting on all that he'd said as she let them into a small, well-furnished apartment.  "Tea?"  Without waiting for an answer she headed to the kitchen and put he kettle on.  Remus began to follow her, but tripped over something that had appeared rather suddenly at his feet.

"Oof.  Hello Gamaliel."  He grinned at the sleek little cat of the Russian Blue variety that meowed at him imperiously, demanding a backrub now that he'd gotten Remus down to his level.  Odd cat, it had never minded his being a werewolf.  Normally, small non-magic animals avoided him, especially cats and dogs.  Maybe that was it, because Gamaliel was certainly no common ordinary house cat.  He was almost as intelligent as Hermione Granger's Crookshanks.

"Twu-woo."

"Twe-woo."

"And a hello to you two too, Ptolemy, Tarsus."  Acknowledging the large twin owls perched nearby.  He had wondered who had taken in Sirius' owl.

"So... It was Peter all along?" She came back into the front room, absently scooping up Gamaliel after handing him a mug of hot tea.  He nodded; she let out a long held breath, and sipped her own tea, while stroking her cat.  "It was Peter then, who betrayed Lily and James.  And he set Sirius up when it all went in a handbasket."  She seemed to be trying to digest this abrupt turnabout. Sitting on an arm of the sofa, gestured for him to take a seat as well.   "Does Dumbledore know?"

"Yes, and so does Harry, all of it.  He'd found out about him all on his own, you know."  He sat in an armchair across from her perch.  "About Sirius being his godfather and the reason he'd gone to Azkaban.  We thought he was after Harry at first, and I think our collective over protectiveness brought out his father in him." Their eyes met and both smiled over memories of James' antics.

They sat in a companionable silence for a moment, sipping their tea.  "Sosia, there's something I need to say to you," he paused, how to word this?  "I have to apologize.  You were right about Sirius, I should have... I don't know, I should have done something... investigated more closely what had happened."

She shifted uncomfortably. "You can't beat yourself up over the past, all the evidence pointed towards Sirius.  That's why I left.  I couldn't believe it was my brother, but I couldn't think of anyone else it could have been."  She looked steadily past him, towards the unlit fireplace.  "If I'd stayed, you and Dumbledore would have convinced me of Sirius' guilt and I couldn't let you do that.  I couldn't accept it."

Remus looked at her in mild shock, "So you left because you believed us?"

"No... no, not exactly, I left because I knew you believed... that Dumbledore believed... and if that was so, then it must have happened and my brother was a murderer.  I had to escape from everything that placed that knowledge where I could not avoid it."  She shrugged, "it was the coward's way out and I took it.  I should be apologizing to you."

"You certainly seem to have thought this through."

"Well, thirteen years is plenty of time to ruminate on the mistakes one has made in life!"  She exclaimed self-deprecatingly.  "Now, enough of that.  What have you been doing since?  Besides subjecting children to all sorts of bizarre creatures, of course."

He laughed, finally relaxed, his burgeoning headache vanishing.  "Now who's beating themselves with the past?  As to work, mostly it's been that or some Dark Arts protection work.  My job record's a bit spotty, most people don't like the idea of hiring a ravening beast."

"Remus Justinias Lupin!  You did not just say that!"  Sosia exclaimed with mock severity, a twinkle glinting in her eye.  "You are hardly a ravening beast, at least most days."  She amended, grinning.

"Oh thank you," he replied with a sardonic nod.  He didn't mention the fact that she seemed to have remembered his full name as well, but he was oddly heartened by it.

At that moment, the front door opened and a voice called in.  "Millie, are you home?"

"Oh!"  Sosia jumped up as if burned and dashed out of the room.  Remus could hear her speaking to the unknown caller as they moved towards the living room.

"I wasn't expecting you!"

"I'm sure you weren't, you're supposed to be at work!"  The man teased her as they entered the room.

"Well," she looked uncomfortably between Remus and the newcomer, "I had an unexpected visitor with some, ahm, family news."

"Ah."  The newcomer, a tall man with curly blond hair and a penetrating brown-eyed gaze, looked curiously at Remus, who looked just as curiously back.

Seeing this, Sosia hastened to make introductions.  "Sam, this is Remus Lupin, an old school friend.  Remus, this is Samuel Carew.  My fiancée."

Remus decided he was definitely going to have that headache now.


	3. Chapter Three: Beginnings

Chapter Three: Beginnings

Author's Note:Don't worry too much about Sam's sudden appearance, Voltora, it'll all work out (grins).This chapter, however, is all flashback to Remus first meeting Sosia.As for disclaimers—well **_I_** don't own them, and I'm certain that **_you_** don't own them, since we all know that J.K. Rowling owns them!And if there is any money being made off of this, no one has told me about it!

And please leave a contribution in the little box (at the bottom of the page), as they would say in the Labyrinth!

Chapter Three:Beginnings

The first time he met Sosia had been on Platform 9 ¾, waiting to board the Hogwarts Express.It had been the beginning of his second year and he and his friends had planned to meet and get a compartment together.Sirius had mentioned that his younger sister would be starting that year, but Remus hadn't really thought much about that.

He and his parents had gotten there early, and Remus had already scouted out a large compartment for the eight of them—himself, Sirius and his sister, James, Peter, Lily, Simon and Margaret—to share as they planned their escapades for the coming year.He was euphoric, he had friends and he was actually good at his studies.His only worries centered on how to keep his friends from finding out that he was a werewolf.He knew that Sirius and James had been a bit suspicious of his monthly disappearances, and he only hoped that they had forgotten about them over the summer.

"Daniel, over here!"His father was calling to someone, and as Remus looked over two bodies came hurtling towards him.

"Remus!We've missed you this summer!"James cried after he and Sirius finished knocking him over and had picked him up again.

"Why didn't you come to the Midsummer celebration?Didn't you get my owl?"Sirius said at almost the same moment.

"Remus was ill, or I know he wouldn't have missed your party for the world."His mother covered for him quickly, when she saw him begin to get flustered in his attempt to come up with an excuse.The full moon had fallen on Midsummer's eve.

"It appears to be true that the Potter blood runs true, Daniel.No one could mistake that James is your son."Remus hadn't known his father knew James'.

Daniel Potter laughed, "Yes, Susanna said the same thing."

"Actually, she said that she would have to be very careful if she ever thought of cheating on Dan here, because she be sure to be caught out if the child didn't have that unruly thatch of black hair!"Laughed the dark-haired man that was accompanying them.

"Matthias!Really, repeating such things in front of the children."The woman accompanying Matthias Black turned to the boys and said, "why don't you get your things on the train now, and Sirius, try not to do anything ridiculously dangerous while you're at it."She did not, however, sound very confident in this last direction being heeded. " And take your sister, show her around."

"Yes, Mum." Replied Sirius, and Remus noticed for the first time, the shy wide-eyed girl half hiding behind Mrs. Black, her arms wrapped around a cat that seemed to be an odd shade of blue.

"Remus, meet my sister, Sosia Aemilia Black."Sirius announced with a flourish."Sosia, this is Remus Justinias Lupin.The Professor here is just the fellow to go to if you need anything researched in that monster of a library they have at Hogwarts."

Remus mimed a playful blow at Sirius' head, then said "Hello, Sosia.You probably already know that you should ignore most of what comes out of your brother's mouth."

Sosia smiled shyly at him and Remus was struck by how much she resembled her brother.Almost like she was merely a petite female version from the same model.They shared the same straight black hair and odd quicksilver-gray eyes, and the same quirk of a smile.

As Sirius proceeded to push the trolley containing their trunks in the direction Remus had indicated, James stood back by the adults, still looking speculatively at Mrs. Lupin.

"Hey, James!Come on lad, the train's this way."Sirius called over his shoulder, "honestly, the boy's mind's been slipping over the summer."He continued to Remus, shaking his head in mock-worry as James turned and dashed to catch up.Sosia trailed behind them, carrying her cat.

"**_My_** mind's slipping?Remind me please, Sirius, which of us wandered into the bonfire at Midsummer because he'd had a bit too much butterbeer?"

"I meant to do that, I was trying to see if those extinguishing charms our parents had been going on about were really any good."Sirius replied loftily."Anyhow, that's not important; what's important is if Remus was able to find that distance explosion charm over the summer.I've really been looking forward to seeing if we could actually soak the entire Slytherin house table in pumpkin juice."

James rolled his eyes, but before he could reply another pair of voices called out to them.

"James, Remus, Sirius!Help us with this thing!"

"Ow!That was my foot!"

Simon and Peter had managed to collapse their trolley and knock one of the wheels loose.It had rolled off down the platform after bouncing off Peter's foot.Laughing, James and Sirius went to help, leaving Remus to look after their trunks and Sosia, who had taken up position on the other side of the trolley, half hidden from him behind the trunks, still clutching her cat.Remus decided it wouldn't hurt to try and draw her out.

"That's a very pretty cat, what is its name?"

"Gamaliel."She replied shyly."He's a Russian Blue and he's very smart.He can steal Tarsus' tail feathers without getting nipped.They make wonderful quills."

Remus grinned at that; Sosia was definitely a Black, to train her cat to go after Sirius' owl for quills.

"Would you like to hold him?He doesn't like these crowds," and, indeed, the cat looked as if he would be much happier somewhere else. "But I'm sure he'll be nice if I ask him."

"Ah no, I don't think so.Cats don't seem to like me."Came his quick reply, precious few animals would tolerate being held by a werewolf and he didn't want to panic her cat.

"Don't worry, Gamaliel isn't like most cats."And with that, she deposited her cat in his arms before he could form another protest.To his amazement, Gamaliel merely looked up at him for a moment before hopping onto his shoulder to command a better view of his surroundings.Sosia giggled as Gamaliel used Remus' head for balance as he reared up to enjoy this new perspective.After his initial panic, Remus found himself grinning back at her.

"See?He likes you.Well, he likes your height anyway."She temporized, as Gamaliel climbed to perch a moment on top of Remus' head, then leapt down and curled around his little mistress' ankles, obviously demanding to be picked up again."Lazy."She remonstrated him affectionately as she complied.

Just then, a sudden and loud crashing noise interrupted them and they turned to see the now fully wheeled trolley containing Peter and Simon's trunks go careening down the platform directly into the new Head Boy, Frank Longbottom, and Peter's brother Christopher.It looked as if they were going to save the teachers the time and trouble of thinking up detentions for the second years by doing away with the lot of them right there.

"It was an accident!"Protested Peter, scampering away laughing, as his brother shouted about removing him from the land of the living.Soon, there was a massive game of tag going on as Frank and Christopher tried to catch any of the four boys who had been in control of the offending trolley.

"Oh, what have they done _now_?"Lily had come onto the platform behind them during the commotion, pushing her own trolley and followed by Margaret and her luggage.

"It actually was an accident."Remus explained, "at least, I think it was."And he explained the lost wheel and the careening trunks.

Lily rolled her eyes and smiled, "that sounds like just their luck.Do we have a compartment yet?"

"Yes, this way ladies."And he executed one of Sirius' notorious sweeping bows, although with not quite as much success as Gamaliel chose that moment to jump onto his back."Ah!Sosia, what is he trying to do, scalp me?" Remus cried as the cat attempted to climb up his back to his shoulders and head again.

"No, I think he just wants his nice view back."She said between giggles.

"Well, tell him he can't have it!"

"Oh, all right."And still giggling, she detached her cat from his robes and kept a good hold on him.

"Thank you."Noticing Lily's questioning gaze, Remus introduced Lily and Margaret to Sirius' little sister as the boys came back from their invigorating game of chase, having eluded their would-be captors by hiding amongst the parents.

"Come on," cried Sirius. "There's lots left to plan, if we're going to win the House Cup this year **_and_** humiliate the Slytherins completely in the process!We have to show Sosia how it's all done."And grinning his exceptionally mischievous grin—the kind that many of his fellow students had already begun to associate with dangerous and often ludicrous pranks—Sirius put his arm around his little sister and they all followed Remus to their compartment.

Author's note:If you're wondering what Gamaliel looks like, here are some pictures of [Russian Blue Cats][1], they are a regally beautiful and mysterious breed.

   [1]: http://home.triad.rr.com/platinaluna/the_cats.htm



	4. Chapter Four: Sam

Author's Note:  FF.N's back up (hopefully for good, this time) and I can't wait to look and see what everyone else has written in the downtime, here's some of what I did.  Disclaimers?  Oh, all right, I don't own them and you know it!  Reviews are always welcome, along with _constructive_ criticism and suggestions.

Chapter Four:  Sam

Remus sat up.  Groaning, he searched for a clock. 3 am.  Scrubbing his hand across his face, he decided that this was not really the most comfortable way to spend a night—sleeping in your clothes on a sofa—but he'd had less comfortable beds.  His head was pounding; the promised headache had arrived in full force.  Deciding that maybe a glass of milk would help—_or possibly a stiff drink,_ he thought wryly—he headed for the kitchen.

It had been a night of unsettling revelations, not the least of which had been Sosia, _and her fiancée,_ he reminded himself.  That had been a shock; although looking back on it, he probably should have been prepared for a husband and children.  

Remus had been uncomfortably aware of the looks Sam had been shooting at him all evening, from the moment he walked into the living room.  _Looks that any intelligent man might give a strange man who absconds with your fiancée, removing her from her place of work and then ending up alone in her house together._  

"Renee called and said your brother had shown up out of the blue and she'd let you go for the night."  To his credit he had been obvious in his curiosity.

"So that's why she let me off so easily.  No, Remus here is only an old friend of the family.  He's brought me some family news, it's a long story."  She ended rather lamely, trying to avoid the issue.

"I've got time, is there anymore tea?"  Sam was not one to be sidestepped easily, Remus had to give him that.

Sighing, Sosia moved to fetch more tea, "No, it's all right.  Here, give me your cups."  And Sam left them alone in the living room.  Remus had a feeling it was a deliberate move.

Leaning towards Sosia, "does he know?"  His low tone was more accusatory than he had intended.

"What?   That my brother is an unjustly convicted mass-murderer on the lam?  That I'm a witch? Or that owls aren't really indoor pets?"

"Don't be snide, that you're a witch of course."

"No.  It's not exactly something that comes up in everyday conversation.  Besides, I haven't done any magic in almost thirteen years; well almost none."  She amended nervously.  "What am I going to tell him?"  

"That, fortunately, is not my problem."  Remus was feeling uncharacteristically muleish, and didn't particularly feel like examining the precise reasons why.  He had a feeling he didn't really want to know.

"Why did Dumbledore send you?  Did he send you to find me, or is there someone else you were supposed to meet?"  

"You know, I'm not entirely sure."  Remus stood up, concerned.  The thought had not even occurred to him, but Sosia might not be the person he was sent to contact.  'If I was there to meet someone else, I've really screwed up."  He began to pace as Sam returned to the living room, the cups of tea in his hands.

"So, figured out what you're going to tell me?  And will it be the truth?"

"No."  Remus replied shortly.

"Remus!"  Sosia snapped.

No to which question?"  He inquired calmly, ignoring Sosia's interjection.

"At the moment, both."  Remus swung around to face Sosia, "May I borrow Ptolemy?  And some paper?"

"Of course."  Glancing fretfully at Sam, Sosia led Remus to a small library, gestured towards the desk and said, "Just launch Ptolemy from the back garden, or I'll have the RSPCA on my case."

"Yes, yes.  Go back and calm down what's-his-face."  He moved towards the desk picking up paper and a pen, grateful to Lily for showing him how to use the odd things all those years ago.

"Sam." She replied remonstratively, and she left him to his writing.

Remus stared at the blank page for a moment, wondering how to explain what had happened to Dumbledore.  What if Sosia wasn't who he had been sent to meet?  What if he had missed an important contact because of his distraction?  Shaking his head, he put pen to paper.  The only way to find out was to ask.  After several revisions, he got the gist of the day's events down in a form he was satisfied with.

_Professor Dumbledore,_

_I went to the park as you directed.  While there I found Sosia Black.  Is she who you sent me to meet?  If not, I am very sorry, but I have missed your contact completely.  Please send further instructions as I am at a complete loss._

_Remus Lupin_

Short and to the point.  Sitting back, he surveyed the library.  Not a magical text to be seen.  Not that he was surprised; she left all her books behind when she had run off.  But her trunk, her Hogwarts trunk, rested against the wall on the far side of the room.  Remus got up and walked over to it.  Wistfully, he ran his hand along the lid of the battered old trunk and, after a fierce inner debate, he resisted opening it to see what it might contain.

Glancing at the clock, Remus realized it had taken him quite a while to compose his brief letter.  He'd better send Ptolemy off now, if he wanted an answer by morning.  Meanwhile, where would he stay?  He doubted Sam would be amenable to his staying here, so he had to figure out where to go.  He hadn't planned this out at all; but then, he hadn't planned on seeing her again.

Out in the hall, he attached his note to Ptolemy, who was fluffing up excitedly.  "I'll bet you haven't been on a delivery in a long time, have you?  Well, this one goes to Dumbledore and quickly, please."  Remus said, as he carried the owl to the backdoor.  Ptolemy ruffled his feathers and nipped his ear.  "Alright, I know you're always quick, sorry."  Opening the door, he launched Ptolemy from his arm and watched him fly off into the evening sky.  

Surveying the back garden, he smiled at the sight of peonies and a pretty little pond.  There was an old-fashioned kissing bench beside the pond, the kind with two opposite facing seats attached to one another, it reminded him of a similar bench that had stood in the her parents' garden.  He still recalled the summer between his sixth and seventh years, when they had all had their pictures taken sitting in it.  James and Lily first of course, looking positively besotted in the depths of new love.  Next, Peter and his mother, who was visiting the Blacks after the death of her husband--Peter's idea, a way to distract his mother's mind.  Sirius and Sosia after that, looking very much like two versions from one mold as they glanced mischievously at one another.  

Then, as a joke, Sirius had insisted that Remus and Sosia have their picture taken.  He had protested of course, but such protests always fell on deaf ears when directed at a Sirius Black with an idea.  So, eventually, they had sat for their picture.  He still remembered the funny swoop his stomach had done when he'd looked in her eyes and seen for the first time a glimmer of something that might be more than friendship.   Sighing, he shook his head, banishing the memories.  Even then he'd known it was never to be, he was what he was and he wouldn't inflict that upon anyone, least of all some one he loved.  It had taken him a long time, but he had finally accepted that.

He closed the door firmly, just as raised voices met him from the direction of the front room.

"This is not in the least bit amusing, Sosia.  If you don't want to tell me what's going on, all you have to do is tell me it's none of my business."

"Do I sound to you like I'm trying to be amusing?"  She sounded irritated; Remus paused at the doorway, out of sight.

"Fine, if this isn't for amusement, then prove what you say.  Do some magic, produce a wand, turn into a bat, do something.  Make me believe it."  The skepticism in his voice was evident.

An exasperated sigh, and " I don't have a wand, not anymore.  And it takes years of study to become an Animagus, and even then you can't choose your animal form."

"You're avoiding the issue.  If you really are a witch, prove it."

Author's Note (part two):  If you have no idea what a kissing bench looks like, here's a picture--Kissing (courtship) Bench 


	5. Chapter Five: Confrontations and More Qu...

Author's Note:  You all must be having a collective heart attack—I actually updated!  So sorry to have been so long about it, I ended up moving all the way across the country—from North Carolina to California!  The next chapter will be up much quicker, and be quite a bit longer… I hope.  Many thanks to my most excellent reviewers—Emlizanne, Voltora, Sosia Camillina, Rugi, Torquemada, and Heloise.  

Reviews are so heartening!

Oh, and for those who have been requesting Sirius' presence, fear not!  He will be showing up eventually, at the moment he is spending his efforts keeping a close eye on his accident-prone godson as he struggles through the second task.

Now for the usual drill… Don't own it, not being paid for it… blah, blah, blah…. sigh…

Chapter Five:  Confrontations and More Questions

Staring into the refrigerator, Remus pondered his reactions this evening.  He still wasn't sure what had gotten into him.  He was usually so in control of his emotions, given his nature, he felt a deep need to keep himself under control.  But something this evening, something in all that had happened had shaken that control.  And when Sam had questioned Sosia's veracity, well.... 

"You're avoiding the issue.  If you are really a witch, prove it."

"May I?"  Remus asked calmly, surprising even himself as he stepped back into the room.  They both glanced over at him, Sosia suspiciously and Sam with skepticism written plainly across his face.

"I don't know.  Can you?"  Sam asked bluntly, crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, maintaining eye contact with Remus.

Remus broke eye contact to glance at Sosia.  White around the lips, she looked positively sick with anxiety.  Returning his gaze to Sam, Remus pulled his wand out of his coat.

"This is a wand," he held it out for inspection.  Sam leaned forward, looking slightly surprised that Remus seemed prepared to go along with what he obviously viewed as foolish charade.  "Each wand is unique to the witch or wizard who owns it and each contains a core of some kind of magical substance.  In the case of my wand, it is made of oak with a core of dragon heartstring."  Remus closed his hand around the wand and drew it back.  "Now, is there anything in particular you would care to see?  I cannot transform at will into any sort of animal, so please put that from your mind."  He added, forestalling any animagi-type requests.

Sam appeared intrigued almost despite himself, "Can you transform other objects?  Such as.... this chair, perhaps."  And he gestured towards a green striped armchair sitting in a corner of the room.

"Certainly.  What shall I transform it into?"

Sam mused on this for a moment, then smiling slowly, he replied, "a wolf."

Remus' head jerked up and he looked sharply between Sam and Sosia, wondering how she could have told a stranger about the wolf.  But she looked just as astonished and he, staring open-mouthed at her fiancée.  Shuddering slightly, she glanced toward Remus and minutely shook her head; she had not revealed his secret.

"May I ask why?"  Remus requested cautiously, unsure of how to proceed.  "Why a wolf?"

Appearing mildly confused by their violent reactions, Sam replied, "It was your last name that brought it to mind.  'Lupin', it is similar to 'Lupus', which translates..."

"Wolf, of course."  Remus straightened, fairly confident that it had been a mere coincidence.  "I suggest that you stand away from the chair.  Over here would be best," indicating a spot near himself and the door.

Remus raised his wand as Sam vacated the area, pointed it at the designated chair and recited, "_Lupus et Carcer."_

Instantly, the chair disappeared.  In its place stood scrolled wooden cage, which appeared to have been constructed in the same style as the piece of Queen Anne furniture it had been a moment before, and a green striped wolf, looking rather put out.  Remus blinked as Sosia stifled a slightly hysterical laugh.  

"Sorry, my concentration is not what it should be for a complicated transfiguration tonight."  He glanced at Sosia, who gave him a rather strained smile of commiseration; then back to the cage and the wolf, which glared at him out of its green striped eyes.  He sighed; his night was not going as planned at all.

He turned to Sam, who had sunk down onto the sofa next to him, eyes riveted on the oddly patterned wolf pacing the cage across the room.

"Is that real?"  He whispered, all skepticism gone from his voice.

"Would you care to touch it for confirmation?"  Remus inquired amusedly.

Sam continued to stare at the wolf for a moment, then, "yes, I think I would."

He looked up at Remus, who could not conceal his surprise; and with pure determination in his every step, rose and crossed the room.  Pausing as he reached the cage, Sam looked back.  "Is it safe?"

"Just a moment."  And with a muttered _Inconcessus Morsus,_ Remus conjured a muzzle onto the wolf's head.  If anything, this caused it to look even more put out.

Sam put out his hand hesitantly, and slowly lowered it to the bars of the odd wooden cage.  He started a little when he came in contact with the wood, then he wrapped his hand around it and looked up.  "It's real," he breathed.  Kneeling down, he reached through the bars and touched the wolf's fur.  "They're both real."  Drawing his hand out quickly as the wolf turned its muzzled head towards him; Sam sat back, stunned.

Remus whispered _Priori Forma_ and Sam didn't so much as flinch as the wolf and cage returned to their rightful form.  He sat for so long that the silence began to feel rather uncomfortable and Remus was just about to attempt to break it when Sam said hoarsely, "How is it possible?"

"What do you mean?"

"How did you do that?  How did you cause that chair to become a wolf?"

"I used a transfiguration incantation, customized to your request."

"A what?"

"Transfiguration, a spell designed to change one object into another."

Sam was staring at Remus now, with the same intense gaze that had previously been focused on the wolf chair.  But this look had none of the suspicion or skepticism that had colored his prior attitude.

"So then you're a.... what?  A wizard?  And that would make Sosia a… "

"Yes, Sosia's a witch.  Just as she told you."

Sam remained seated on the floor, gazing up at them both.  Then, letting his breath out slowly, "This is going to take a bit of time to adjust to.  Are there very many, ahm... what _do_ you call yourselves as a group?"

"The Magical community is a small portion of the general population; but there are quite a few of us, yes."

"The Magical community," Sam looked to Sosia, "why didn't you tell me about this before?"  There was no accusation in his voice; rather there was a note of curiosity.

"You didn't believe me now.  Why would you have believed me before?  Besides, I left the magical community behind thirteen years ago."  Sosia was standing in the same spot she had occupied when Remus had returned from sending off Ptolemy, standing stiffly with her arms wrapped tightly around herself.  

"I suppose you are correct there." He acknowledged somewhat sheepishly, finally getting up off the floor.

The odd closed expression on Sosia's face was worrying.  She, like her brother, had always shown her emotions openly.  You could tell exactly how either of them was feeling just by looking at their faces.  In contrast to himself, they had never felt the need to develop an iron self-control.  She had laughed earlier at the little hiccup in his spell, but now.... He had no idea what she was thinking or how she felt about his little demonstration.  

And that disturbed Remus.


	6. Chapter Six: Sosia

Author's Note:  Nearly a week apart—how's that for updating quickly!  Hope I left enough clues here for you, Emlizanne ;).  'Sirius-Padfoot eyes' have a remarkable effect on my Muse, Voltora.  She went absolutely wild, putting all sorts of information into my poor little brain.  This chapter contains quite a bit of background that most of us are already quite familiar with.  But Sam isn't, so….  

My faithful reviewers are darlings and dears and just fabulous people!

If _you_ would like to be a darling, a dear, and a fabulous person (which I'm _sure_ you are) all you have to do is review at the bottom of the page!

Disclaimer:  Guess what?  Still not mine!  *gasp*  And the only "profit" I'm receiving from this comes in the form of frequent jabs in my side, courtesy of my grandmother's giant Chihuahua, who wishes I didn't spend quite so much time on this blasted machine.

Chapter Six:  Sosia

_And now he knows._

She still wasn't sure what had possessed her to choose tonight of all nights to "break the news" to Sam.  Probably, if she were honest with herself, she was really hoping this day would never come.  But that was before her vindication.  

_Vindication?  Hah!  So it was Peter and not Sirius?  Well that makes it **all** better, doesn't it?  _

_My, we **have** become a cynic in our old age, haven't we?_

_That is was **Peter**… No, I mustn't dwell on that now, I've too much to handle already._

Sam was still looking a touch bemused about the whole situation.  She had a feeling that all the ramifications of the knowledge he had just received hadn't even _started_ to sink in yet.

"Sosia?"  It was Remus.  Dear old Remus, the Gentleman Werewolf as Sirius would say, who was looking at her with a concerned expression on his careworn face.  It occurred to her that his life could not have been very easy or very enjoyable these past thirteen years, bereft of the friends that had been his pillars of support for so many years.  Suddenly, and rather irrelevantly, she wondered what he did on the nights of the full moon.

"Sosia?"  He repeated.

"Hmm?"  Blinking, Sosia snapped out of her reverie.

"What are you thinking?"

_That was always Peter's question.  If you only knew…_

"I think that Sam and I need to speak in private, if you don't mind Remus."

"Of course.  I'll just… make some more tea, shall I?"

"Yes, that would be very nice."  _Yes, anything.  Just get out of the room.  You confuse me too much right now._

As Remus left the room with a trio of previously forgotten mugs half-full of cold tea, Sam shook himself out of his bemusement.

"How ever did you keep a secret like this for so long?  Didn't you trust me with it?  Or was it something else?"  He sounded hurt by her perceived mistrust.

"No, it was never a matter of trust.  It wasn't even really a secret so much as a part of my past."

"A part of your past that you chose not to share with me.  Not that you have ever been very forthcoming about your personal history before that day Renee and I found you bawling on the side of the road."  He held his hand up as he saw Sosia forming a protest.  "I know, we agreed that the past was not going become an issue in our lives.  But, Sosia, you just made it an issue.  Do you have any idea how utterly… mind boggling what just happened is?"  Sam began to pace aimlessly around the room.  "Your friend just transformed **that** chair," and he stopped and gestured towards it, "into a **wolf**!  That sort of thing just doesn't happen everyday!"

"I left that world.  I gave up that life.  I never intended to have to deal with it again."

"Why?  It seems to be a marvelous gift!  How much… what couldn't you do with power like that?"

"Every person has their own level of potential and proficiency.  But that's not the point of it all!"  Frustrated, Sosia gripped her arms tighter round herself.  "Years ago, before I met you, there was a great deal of upheaval in the Magical Community.  There was a wizard… a Dark wizard… a ruthless and extremely powerful man, who called himself Voldemort, was attempting and succeeding in taking over our world.  On Halloween, thirteen years ago, he went to the house of two of my friends… He…" She stopped, gathering herself.  It was amazing how upsetting this still was to her after so long.

Sam came over to her, putting his arms around her and holding her close.  "He killed them?"  Sosia leaned into him, nodding her head and let a few hot tears fall.

"And that's why you left?"

"No," straightening up, she dashed the tears away.  "A near miracle happened next… He killed…" She took a deep breath, "he killed James and Lily, then he tried to kill their son, Harry, but something happened.  No one knew what, but Voldemort disappeared completely and Harry lived."  Sosia sighed and leaned into his embrace again.  "It is at that point that my world went into the proverbial handbasket.

"There are spells that can cloak a person's whereabouts and James and Lily had known somehow that they were being searched for, so they performed a very powerful charm that hid their location from anyone who would seek for them.  The catch was that one other person kept that knowledge, and if that person chose to divulge it then they could be found."  She loosened her grip upon herself and put her hands over Sam's.

"My brother was their Secret Keeper, the one who held the knowledge of their location.  At least, he was who James chose and who our world believed was the Secret Keeper.  No one could have found them without the cooperation, voluntary or not, of the Secret Keeper.  So they began looking for my brother.  Sirius had already heard of James and Lily's deaths and the next day he was captured after killing another dear friend as well as a large group of innocent bystanders.  He was arrested and imprisoned without benefit of a trial, so great was the tide of feeling over the whole incident."

She pulled away from him and turned to look into his face, "I could not bear to believe that my brother, my own dear brother, who had loved James and Lily so very much and had stood as their Best Man and godfather to their son, had turned traitor and killed so many.  So I ran.  I put away my wand, packed what I could carry, and ran as fast and as far as I could.  

"That is when you and Renee found me.  I came as far as London and did not know where to go from here.  I had lost my closest friends and had left the world I'd known my whole life all in the space of two days.

"Now Remus tells me we were wrong, that my brother was _not_ the Secret Keeper.  That the 'friend' he is accused of murdering is _not_ dead and _was_ the actual culprit, and my head aches so that I think I may fall apart any second."

Sam pulled her close, stroking her hair and asked, "What did Remus go off to do with your owl?"

"He sent a note to the Headmaster of the school we all attended.  Apparently, Remus was sent here to contact someone and he wanted to make sure that I was the right person."  She smiled slightly, "Remus has always been concerned with having the right answer, whatever the question might be."

"You are still governed by your old school master?"  He questioned, then pausing, "By _owl_?"

At that, she laughed.  "Yes, it's called Owl Post.  Ptolemy and Tarsus are not normal owls.  Haven't you ever wondered about them?"

"Well, yes.  I did when we first met you.  But you were so closed off then that I feared any questions about them--or really _anything_ else--might send you running off again."

"It probably would have," she admitted.  "I was quite on edge at that time.  Our owls are pets with a purpose; they deliver the mail.  A good owl can find someone even when given only a name, no matter where they are."

"That's amazing."  Another pause, "Why _did_ you never tell me any of this?"

_Now we've come to it._

"At first because it was too painful to remember.   After that… I was afraid it would scare you away.  I was a witch with a convicted murderer for a brother, not exactly comforting information."

"No one can control who their family is or how they are born.  I would never have held that against you and I am surprised that you believed I would."  There was an injured look in his eyes.

"I… It really doesn't matter to you?"  Sosia looked up at him, frank surprise in her eyes.  She had thought that something this monumental would be an insurmountable barrier for her analytically minded fiancée. 

"It is true and it is part of you, how could I mind it?"  Sam kissed her forehead, then held her at arms-length and gave her a mock severe look.  "Now, who is this Headmaster?"

Laughing through her tears now, Sosia replied, "Professor Dumbledore is the wisest man I have ever met.  It is said that he was the only man Voldemort ever feared.  He worked tirelessly to stop Voldemort's rise.  Hogwarts School for Witchcraft and Wizardry has benefited greatly from his presence over these last decades."

"Why would he want to find you now, after all this time?"

"I don't know," Sosia frowned.  "I'm hoping that Ptolemy will bring an answer to that very question back with him."

There was a diffident knocking on the doorframe.

"Is it safe to come back in?"  Remus stood there, holding a tray with their mugs, a steaming pot of tea, and a few sweetbreads.  "I thought a proper tea might be in order."  He continued, lifting the tray and walking into the room.

T_rust Remus to bring a peace offering_.  

"Thank you."  Sosia replied, smiling at him.  Remus came in, setting the tray on a side table.  After helping himself to a cup and a scone, He sat down on the previously lupine chair.  

"Should I inquire after what passed during my absence?"  He asked carefully.

"Well, you can _inquire_."  Grinned Sam easily, as he poured tea for himself and Sosia.  "Actually, there is one question you may be able to answer for us.  What does this Dumbledore fellow want with Sosia after all this time?"

Remus, who had been sipping his tea, sputtered and looked up in surprise.  "How much do you know?  Just how much have you told him?"  He transferred his gaze to Sosia.

"He knows why I left.  About Voldemort, James and Lily, Sirius, Owl Post, all of that."  She explained quickly, getting a firm grip on the odd fluttery feeling that his presence was triggering in her.

"Owl Post?"  It was Remus' turn to look amused.  "Oh, to explain about Ptolemy."

"Yes."  Inexplicably, she blushed.  _Get a hold of yourself, girl.  What is this?  He's a _friend_, nothing more._  

It had been years since she had thought of Remus as anything more than an old friend.  

_Yes, years in which you never saw or had any other sort of contact with him.  _

Guiltily, she glanced towards Sam, hoping he hadn't noticed.  As luck would have it, his attention was still on Remus.

"Well, I'm still not entirely sure that I was supposed to find Sosia.  But I do know that he was hoping that the contact he sent me for would be able to help us."  He paused, seeming to gather his thoughts.  "You say she's told you about Voldemort?  About his disappearance?  Well, he is not as 'dearly departed' as most of the Magical Community would like to believe.  Dumbledore has been tracking him for some time, since very soon after _that_ Halloween."  He grimaced, "And for years, Voldemort did very little.  He has no corporeal form, so he could not travel very easily.

"Unfortunately, almost four years ago a wizard, a young fellow by the name of Ian Quirrell—you might remember him Sosia; studious chap, a few years behind you at Hogwarts—he went out to do some fieldwork in his chosen profession, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and he ventured a bit too far into the Albanian forests.  He brought out with him something most of us never wanted to confront again.

"Providence, however, smiled on us and, once again, Harry Potter was able to send Voldemort scurrying back to his hiding place.  But, now we have positive proof that he is out there—biding his time—looking for a way to return."

Startled, Sosia sat up.  "Harry?  Harry's only, what?  Fourteen?  How in the world could he have…"

"Yes, he's fourteen, and he was only eleven at that time, and only a little over a year old when he bested Voldemort the first time.  There's something about the boy, Sosia, something that has Voldemort confused.  I only hope that whatever it is that protects him, Voldemort never finds a way around it."

"Dumbledore has been reading the signs and they all point to the fact that Voldemort is gaining strength.  We believe that Peter is searching for him, if he has not already rejoined him."  Again, he paused to grimace in memory.  "Dumbledore has old Alastor Moody teaching Defense lessons up at the school this year as well.  And, just to complicate things there, the Ministry has resurrected the Triwizard Tournament.  So there are witches and wizards coming and going all the time at Hogwarts and in Hogsmeade.  But _that's_ another mess entirely."

"Moody?  Wouldn't he rather be out hunting down Voldemort?  I don't remember him as the sort that would sit still while all this is going on."

Remus blinked owlishly, "I forget that you have missed so many little things along with the bigger news.  Moody retired a few years back.  Even with his magical eye, he was getting to be a paranoid wreck.  He…"

"Magical eye?"  Sam interjected.

"What?  Oh yes, he lost an eye bringing in a group of Death Eaters just after Voldemort's fall and…"

"Death Eaters?"

"Death Eaters are what the followers of Lord Voldemort called themselves."

"_Lord_ Voldemort?"

Remus sighed, "I thought you said you had told him all about this."  He said looking towards Sosia.

"Well, I could hardly have covered everything in ten minutes, could I?"  She replied tartly.

"Alright, sorry.  Styling himself Lord—well, egomania always was one of his little character flaws," Remus responded with a grim laugh.  

"Now, where was I?  Oh yes, Moody retired—or rather, was retired—after an incident involving Arthur Weasley, Amos Diggory, a flying carpet, two underage house elves, and a jack-o-lantern.  I never got the straight of that story, but it hardly matters at the moment.  Retirement did not help his paranoia and he has been getting more and more jinx-happy over the years.  But Dumbledore tells me that having a job to do and some purpose in his life has done wonders for him.

"I'm hoping that Ptolemy will return with a message that will answer _all_ our questions."  Remus continued, coming back to the Sam's original query.  "But it is going to take some time for him to make it all the way up to Hogwarts and back, so we are all forced to have some patience on the matter."


	7. Chapter Seven: An Unexpected Messenger

Author's Note:  Sorry it took so long to get this chapter out, I moved again and then suffered a bout of writer's block in the midst of it.  I unconsciously paraphrased _Henry V _at one point.  And I realize I am straying dangerously close to Mary Sue-dom with Sosia in this chapter, but give me time, trust me she's not perfect.

Many thousands of thanks go out to my splendid reviewers:  Emlizanne—hope this prevents any drastic need for a manicure; Voltora—who knows my Muse loves it when she sends her *Sirius Padfoot eyes*; Rugi—hassling does me good sometimes; Giesbrecht—yes, I know my NT, studied it all my life, and I've always been partial to the interesting names in it; Sosia Camillina, Torquemada, Fainting Maid, Quizzical Sphinx, Heloise, Jane, and Vanessa—I'm glad you are enjoying this and I appreciate all your reviews!

If you are more in the mood for humor, go read my "A Moment Out Of…"; I got a bit silly while trying to write this chapter.

Disclaimer:  Do I need to write this all again?  I didn't think so.  You all know it; go read it someplace else.

Chapter Seven:  The Unexpected Messenger

The conversation went in circles for the rest of the evening; neither Remus nor Sosia, seemingly, wanting to mention the one rather unique talent she possessed that could prove most useful towards their cause.  Finally, it was decided that Remus would stay on until the looked for answer arrived.  And though he was not completely happy with this arrangement, Sam went home for the evening once it became clear that they would solve nothing tonight.

Now it was three in the morning and Remus poured some milk into a saucepan on the stove.  He supposed he could've used magic to heat it, but he didn't want to bother with fetching his wand from his coat pocket.  Besides, sometimes it was just more satisfying to do things the "Muggle" way.  Transferring the warmed milk from the pan to a tall mug, he gazed out the kitchen window into the darkness of the back garden.

He had been surveying the grays and blues of the midnight garden's shadows for a long while, and had grown quite drowsy again, before he spotted the movement beside the pond.  Freezing he peered into the darkness.  Surely, no one had reason to have followed him here…  No, it was Sosia.  Sosia sitting on the kissing bench facing the pond, still dressed in a sweater and jeans, wrapped up in a thick shawl… and shaking.

Alarmed, Remus made his way quietly to the door and slipped into the garden.  As he pulled the door shut behind him, the soft sound of muffled sobbing came floating on the breeze.  He made his silent way to the opposite facing seat and sat down beside her.

"Remembering?"  He asked softly, hazarding a guess.

Her head came up so swiftly he thought she'd give herself whiplash.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you." He said in his most soothing tone, the one he had used to put shy or scared students at ease.

Staring at him out of wide red-rimmed eyes, she asked, "How did you bear it all these years?"

Leaning back, Remus pondered this, chin sinking to his chest as he clasped his hands together and stretched out his legs, crossing his ankles.

"I honestly don't know.  I didn't handle it at all well at first.  The Ministry investigated the James and Lily's deaths for a while, but they got so very busy rounding up stray Death Eaters that it got forgotten.  They had caught the 'culprit' after all."  Bitterness crept in to his tone for a moment, "I was suspected of colluding with him at one point.  But Dumbledore cleared that away.

"It took so long for my heart and mind to really accept that Sirius had betrayed James and Lily.  I'm not sure I ever really did.  It is certainly far easier to believe it of Peter somehow."  He turned his face towards hers and tilted his head kindly, "you've seemed to take this all in stride so far, I know you and Peter were close friends too."

"Was there a" she paused, taking a deep breath, "a funeral?  And graves?  For James and Lily, I mean," she hastened to add.

"Yes, shortly after you … left, we had a small simple ceremony for them and they were laid to rest up in the churchyard up at old St. Ivo's."

"Where they were married," Sosia acknowledged with a faint half-hearted smile.

"We gave Peter a funeral too," Remus continued after a moment.  "It was much larger.  Everyone wanted to honor the 'fallen heroes' and we wouldn't let them all into the Potters' ceremony.  So they came in droves to Peter's.  Poor Judith, I'm almost glad she's gone, it'd kill her to know what her son had done."

"Does Harry visit his parents' graves often?"

Remus peered at her, "you know, I don't know that he's ever been to them.  I'm fairly certain that Petunia never took him.  She didn't even come to the funeral.  I visit them once a year, on their anniversary.  I visited Peter's too, until recently."  He added.

"He's living with _Petunia_?  Why?  There had to be somewhere else he could have gone!  She and that husband of hers were irredeemably close-minded."

"It was Dumbledore's decision and, really, there was no one else.  They are the only blood relatives he has left.  Sirius would have been the obvious choice, but he was not a candidate at the time.  Peter might have been able to make a case for adopting him, but they wouldn't have allowed a werewolf to be entrusted with the upbringing of 'The Boy Who Lived'."

"Have you seen Sirius lately?  Since he escaped from Hogwarts?"

No, but I've heard from him.  He feels it is safer that we—he writes to Harry as well—don't know where he is, in case we are questioned concerning him." He tried to make out the expression her face, but it was hidden in the shadow.  "Why are you avoiding any mention of Peter?  I know it must be hard for you, knowing that…"

"That Peter betrayed James and Lily to their deaths, Sirius to imprisonment, and you to pain and solitude?  Yes, it's hard."  Her voice, already roughened by tears, had taken on a harsh edge.

Remus looked away, up to the starlit sky, "I always had the pain." He replied softly.

Sosia's voice lost its sharpness, "What have you done all these years, Remus?  All these moons alone?"

"The Wolfsbane Potion has been perfected in the last few years."  Remus answered in a detached tone, trying to avoid dwelling on the years before that.  "It hasn't been easy.  The Wolf is wilder and more unrestrained inside me when I am alone.  But now, with the Wolfsbane Potion, I can at least keep my mind when I transform.  I can curl up and sleep it off.  It is difficult to find those willing to brew it though.  It is a complex recipe and you may recall that I was always rather ineffectual at Potions."

"Yes, I remember Sirius teasing you about old Ferule despairing of your ever mastering Advanced Potionmaking."  She smiled at him, "I think you just didn't want to be put in the same category as Snape."

Remus gave a short laugh, "you may have a point there.  But you are still avoiding the question."

"Yes, I am."  She looked off towards the trees along the back of the garden and sat up abruptly, peering into the sky.  "Is it dawn already?"

Remus glanced at his watch, "No, it's only a little after three."  Then he followed her gaze and saw the lightening of the sky along the roofline.  "What _is_ that?"  Upon closer inspection, the light was too isolated to be the sun even if the hour didn't already preclude that option.  And it seemed to be drawing closer.  Suddenly the source of the light appeared as it swooped over the roof from the north and fluttered down towards the two of them.  It was a phoenix, and it was carrying something.

"Fawkes?"  Remus inquired quietly, startled.  He hadn't expected an answer this quickly or by this method.

Fawkes landed on the back of the kissing bench, letting off a trembling note of phoenix song in answer and indicating the package he was carrying with a regal inclination of his head.

"Fawkes?"  Sosia whispered softly, reaching up to stroke his feathers tentatively.  He turned his red and gold feathered head towards her and nuzzled at her hand, arching his neck as she continued to stroke him more boldly.

Meanwhile, Remus removed the parcel and began to unwrap it.  He saw by its size why Fawkes, and not Ptolemy, had been entrusted with its delivery; it was too large for even an eagle owl to carry comfortably.  The first object to emerge was a long thin box.  He had a feeling he could guess what it contained.  Putting it aside, he continued to unwrap the packet and as he finally uncovered the bulky contents—a set of folded robes—two letters fell out from the wrappings.  Picking them up, he noted that one was noticeably thicker than the other; the thicker one was addressed to Sosia and both were addressed in Dumbledore's distinctive hand.

"What is it, Remus?" Inquired Sosia as she looked over, her hand still caressing the bird's neck.

"I have a feeling _all_ of these are for you." Remus replied, handing over the larger letter, the box and the folded clothing as he unfolded his own epistle and began to read.

_Remus,_

You have been even more successful than I had any realistic hope of, congratulations.  You have not misinterpreted my expectations and you have not missed the contact you were sent to make.  Information has, however, come to light that requires me to request your presence here as soon as is conceivably possible.  Both of you.  Please be cautious as you arrive, I would prefer that your presence go unnoticed by the school at large.  Avoid Hogsmeade as well, at least until after we have spoken.  Send Fawkes directly back with your anticipated arrival time.  Take care.

_Albus Dumbledore_

Remus leaned back after finishing, reaching up to absently stroke Fawkes' back feathers.  What had happened to cause Dumbledore to call him—_them_—in so secretively?  And why the rush?  Dumbledore was neither an alarmist nor given to exaggeration.  He glanced over at Sosia, wondering if her missive contained the answers to his questions.  She was thoroughly engrossed in her letter, brow furrowed, the box and clothes clasped lightly in her arms.  Settling back in his seat a little more, Remus took a moment to drink in her presence.  Right now, absorbed as she was in her letter, he was able to observe her without impediment.

She was not what everyone would call beautiful; there was too much personality in her face.  But her brand of petite charm had managed to captivate a fair share of the young wizards of her year; enough, certainly, to keep her overprotective elder brother occupied.  With her impish button nose and the odd quicksilver eyes of her family, as well as her diminutive stature, she reminded some of the Cornish Pixies that shared her native birthplace—not always a complimentary association, in her view.  There were lines around her eyes that weren't there before and a sadness behind them still.  

Unexpectedly, he found himself looking straight into those troubled grey eyes and he caught his breath.

"Dumbledore wants us to come as soon as possible.  Why?"

Letting his breath out in slow sigh, "I'm not sure, but I've never known him not to have exceptional grounds for such a summons."

Author's Note:  St. Ivo is the patron saint of orphans and abandoned people, it fit somehow.  Sorry this chapter was so short, the next one should be longer and the promised meeting with Sirius is no more than two or so chapters away, honest!  I now know exactly how this story will end so I can move along a bit faster from here on out (hopefully).  Is _that_ enough clues Emlizanne? ;-)


	8. Chapter Eight: The Morning After

Author's Note:  You are all just lovely people and I'm glad you are enjoying my story so much!  Rugi and Gwena, you are marvelous; Torquemada, Plane Jane, and Fainting Maid, you are dears.  Sosia Camillina, you've been releasing plot bunnies in your reviews!  Not only that, they've found where I hid the lettuce and are growing at an alarming rate.  They'll start breeding any time now, I'm afraid.  Thanks grin.

In keeping with the fact that I'm a eclectic nutcase g, I've quoted _The Big Chill_ below, 50 points to the house of whoever is able to spot it.

Chapter Eight:  The Morning After

Remus awoke to a feeling of direct pressure being applied to his throat.  Alarmed, he opened his eyes and he found himself staring into a pair of bright yellow-green eyes contained in the heart-shaped face of Sosia's cat.

"Gamaliel," he rasped, "could you kindly take your paw off my windpipe?"

The cat's eyes narrowed speculatively as he gave Remus' throat one more jab, then he turned and sauntered down to the opposite end of the sofa and curled up at his feet, still watching him carefully.

"I suppose you're trying to tell me it's time to get up, hmm?"

Remus sat up groggily and looked for that clock again.  8:23 am.  Sighing, he stood and stretched, hearing the unmistakable sounds of breakfast being prepared coming from the kitchen.  Rubbing his hand over his face, he grimaced.  He hadn't come prepared for an overnight stay and he was desperately in need of a shave.

"Remus?"

"Hm?"  Sosia had stuck her head into the living room, an apron around her waist, a spatula in her hand, and her long hair done up in a loose bun with just a few wisps escaping to caress her neck and forehead.  She blew one out of her eyes as she continued.

"Good, Gamaliel woke you."  Gamaliel gave a contented purr at this, hopping down from the sofa and going to twine about Sosia's ankles.

_Lucky cat._

"There's a spare shaving kit in the bathroom down the hall there," Sosia gestured to a door just past the kitchen. 

_She's read my mind._

"Breakfast will be ready soon, still eat meat?"  She inquired.

Laughing, Remus replied, "Yes, do you still serve it?"

"Of course, I'm a confirmed omnivore." She said with a grin, "but it never hurts to check.  I've got a few friends that are full Vegans and they'd just _die_ if I cooked them sausages and eggs."  Sosia mimed a melodramatic horrified look with a hand to her heart.

Laughing still, Remus headed down the hallway to the bathroom.  Sosia was certainly pulling out all the stops this morning.  He had a suspicion that she was putting on a brave face for him.  They were going to see Dumbledore that afternoon.

~~~

Once Fawkes had arrived early that morning, the tension that had been building almost imperceptibly in Remus since early evening had been released and he had felt fully able of falling deeply asleep right there in the iron seat of the kissing bench.  His curiosity over the contents of Sosia's thick missive, however, had kept him awake.

"What does Dumbledore say in your letter?"  He inquired.

"This and that," Sosia replied vaguely, worrying at the knots on the slim box that had accompanied the letter.

"It appears to be a lot of 'this and that'."  Remus cocked an eyebrow, pointing to the folded pages.

"Oh, he talks of many things."  She replied airily.

"'Of shoes and ships and sealing wax'?"

"'And cabbages and kings',"

"'And why the sea is boiling hot, and whether fish have wings'."  Finishing the quote from Lewis Carroll, Remus grinned.  "Yes, Dumbledore does strike some as a touch scattered.  I've always found him much more level-headed and practical than the Walrus and the Carpenter, though."

"Oh, I don't know.  They were quite practical in their own way; they got themselves some dinner after all.  Finally!"  She had gotten the strings holding the box closed loose.  Opening it and moving aside the silk packaging, she reached for the contents.  

"Oh."  Sosia breathed quietly, holding up her long unused wand in wonder.  Rowan wood and the hair of a Demiguise, excellent wand for defensive work.  Almost experimentally, she gave the wand a tiny flick and gasped when brilliant silver light sparked from the tip.  "It still works!"  She exclaimed happily.

"Since I sense that you are not going to share the contents of your letter with me," Remus grinned to soften the implied rebuke, "How about shaking out those robes and letting me get a good look at them."

She shot him a quick grin of her own, put the letter back in its envelope and pocketed the wand.  Standing up, Sosia held the dark burgundy material by the shoulders.  As she shook loose the folds of the elegant and simply cut robes, another set of clothing fell out from amidst them.  This set was a deep navy blue, also of a simple cut and obviously designed for a masculine wearer.

"Apparently, Dumbledore feels we will be less apt to draw attention to ourselves if we don't wear Muggle clothing into Hogwarts."  Remus acknowledged wryly, picking up the bundle from the ground.  They really were a handsome set of robes, he almost wished he could keep them after their visit, but he had made it a rule never to accept charity, no matter the source.  Looking up, he paused.  Sosia was gawking at him, a look of pure astonishment of her face.

"Sosia?  What is it?"

Shaking herself, she looked up from the robes in his arms.  "Nothing.  You'll look quite handsome in those."

"Thank you, you won't look half bad yourself.  How shall we answer the Professor?"

~~~

Remus shook the razor dry as he finished his morning ablutions, and reflected on the message they had finally agreed to send back to Dumbledore with Fawkes.

_Headmaster,_

Miss Black and I will arrive this evening during the dinner hour at the school.  We will wait upon you in your office, if you would be kind enough to provide me with the password.  We shall use all due caution and avoid the village, I assure you.  

_Until tonight,_

Remus J. Lupin 

I've become positively terse in my letters recently.  Remus shook his head as he headed into the kitchen.  Sosia was staring at the stovetop, with an intense and slightly troubled gaze. 

"That's the trouble with those things, you've got to watch them every minute.  Anything I can do to help?"

"Hm?" She looked up, concentration broken, "No, thanks. I was just ruminating on some rather odd dreams I had last night."

"Oh?"  He couldn't help but lean forward in interest.

"Nothing important or relevant."  Sosia replied irritatedly, "Just…. Odd.  I was falling from the Astronomy Tower at school, but I never hit the ground; I just kept falling."

As she began to serve them both a freshly made breakfast of porridge, browned mushrooms, eggs, sausage, toast and marmalade, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it."  Remus rose from the table and made for the door. "It's probably Sam, come to check on us." He muttered under his breath as he reached the door and pulled it open.

It was most decidedly not Sam.

Author's Note Part Two: Sorry it's so short; but I'm ashamed to admit, I couldn't resist pausing there sheepish grin.  On the up side, Chapter Nine will be out by Monday, February 25, 2002—honest!  Until then you could tell me where I should go with _Fortes Fortuna Juvat_, if you've nothing better to do.


	9. Interlude: In Buckbeak's Cave

Author's Note: Yes, I promised Chapter Nine on Monday--I'm a horrible person and a champion procrastinator and should never be relied upon.  But I've got a good excuse!  My wonderful laptop went to Petaluma for a week and left me with the non-compatible computer and the keyboard from the seventh ring of Dante's Inferno.  

So here is an interlude, most likely chock full of grammatical errors—but it _is_ what many of you have been waiting for!

Interlude: In Buckbeak's Cave

_When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes,_

_I all alone beweep my outcast state,_

_And trouble deaf heaven with my bootless cries,_

_And look upon myself, and curse my fate,_

_Wishing me like one more rich in hope,_

_Featured like him, like him with friends possess'd,_

_Desiring this man's art and that man's scope,_

_With what I most enjoy contented least;_

_Yet in these thoughts myself almost despising,_

_Haply I think on thee, and then my state,_

_Like to the lark at break of day arising_

_From sullen earth, sings hymns at heaven's gate;_

_For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings_

_That then I scorn to change my state with kings._

_--Sonnet XXIX, William Shakespeare_

The gaunt dark-haired man paced the confines of the mountainside cave in which he had taken refuge.  Even after twelve years of captivity in the darkest and most despairing hole known to mankind—or perhaps because of it—he still could not accept inactivity easily.  The newspapers he had managed to scrounge told of disturbing events, signs of rising darkness, and even more alarming, signs of deliberate blindness and indifference.  The Headmaster informed him of other incidents ignored by the wizarding press, and his godson gave him of yet more concerns.

His mind was awhirl with the amount of information that he had gathered since his escape.  Smiling briefly, he pictured the looks of disbelief on the faces of his schoolmates if they could see the amount of depth and dedication he placed in his self-imposed assignment.  His friends knew him better.  When James had conceived the idea to become Animagi to help their friend, it had been he that had kept the four of them on track and who continued doggedly unperturbed when things looked the most hopeless.  Now, events were once again spinning faster and approaching quicker than most people could fathom.  The problem was identifying what was truly important, what was coincidence, and what was just ignorance and foolishness.

Frustrated, he turned around abruptly, almost tripping over the large gray hippogriff curled up asleep in the far corner of the cave. Stumbling back and regaining his balance, he stopped and, closing his eyes, took a deep calming breath.  Staring at the inside of his eyelids for a moment, he decided that his best course of action at the moment would be to enumerate his concerns.  Opening his eyes again, he scanned the cave, his gaze coming to rest upon his stack of pilfered newspapers.  Striding over, he sat down beside them, folded his hands and put them to his lips, attempting to concentrate.

His concerns.  Well, first and foremost, the most obvious, would be his godson--his safety and his happiness.  The lad was truly James' son, a fact that filled the pale man with pride and wonder even as it worried him deeply.  True, he was not as reckless as James was.  He was quieter and more serious, more prone to seeing the effects and consequences of his actions; his life and his losses had forced him to a greater maturity than his father had possessed at the same age.  But in both looks and spirit, the boy was almost wholly James'.  But those brilliant green eyes and his propensity towards caution and self-reliance were hallmarks of his mother.

James and Lily.  At the moments now when he felt the most alone and isolated, when his spirits dragged and his hope diminished, he would think on them—and thank the heavens that he _could_ think of them now.  Two of the dearest, bravest, most kind-hearted and strong people he had ever had the good fortune to know.  Not to say they hadn't had their faults—Lily could be more stubborn that himself at times and James had a streak of mischievous recklessness a mile wide—but even their faults had endeared them to their friends.  And their love and devotion to their son had been all encompassing.  He was their miracle.  In those darkest times they had this one ray of hope, the wonder of a new life.  

He had cried without a trace of embarrassment when James had asked him to be godfather to his unborn child, it was the single happiest moment of his life.  That, and the first time he had held the squirming little bundle in his arms and looked down into Lily's eyes in James' face and known that everything they were suffering through was well worth it.  He remembered the moments of pure joy and warm companionship he had spent with the little family; and he knew that, whatever else happened, whatever else might come, his job was to protect and care for his closest friend's greatest treasure.  Harry had been their only concern.  

And Harry's main concern for him was that he not get himself caught.  He knew the boy thought he was being reckless coming back here and that made him smile grimly.  He knew what reckless was, and this was by far the least reckless thing he'd ever done with his life.  He'd given James and Lily his solemn oath to watch and care for their son if the time ever came when they could not.  And by Merlin, **now** was that time.  

It had been worrying him this summer, in his hiding place down in the forests of the Ivory Coast.  He felt, even with the letters they were exchanging, that he was too far away from his godson, should he be needed.  And then the signs had begun to occur.  Disappearances.  Signs of dark powers gathering.  When Dumbledore had told him of Sybill's last prophecy, he'd almost torn his small home apart in his anguish.  It was **his** fault that the rat had escaped.  And it would be his fault if Voldemort regained his power and dominion.  When Harry had written to him of his dream, and the news came of the Dark Mark's appearance at the World Cup, he reached the end of his tether.  He could not sit there in hiding and do nothing.  So he gathered what little he had and he and Buckbeak made their way back north.

It certainly wasn't that he wanted to be captured again.  The feeling that the dementors gave him, their powerful effect on him, he doubted it would ever fully fade.  He'd spent too many years in their malevolent company to ever be entirely free of its influence on his psyche.  He shivered involuntarily.  No, there were very few things he truly feared anymore, but returning to the daily terror of the dementors was one of them.  But he was being careful, only venturing out in Animagus form, scavenging for most of his food rather than stealing it.  It was taking a toll on his health, he knew, but it was worth it to him.

Dumbledore had not been idle either.  Convincing Alastor Moody to come out of retirement to teach had to have been a challenge even for the Headmaster.  The presence of the Tri-Wizard Tournament had complicated matters.  Bringing 'former' Death Eaters directly inside Hogwarts.  The dark-haired man snarled, a viciously dog-like noise.  Dumbledore trusted where many would not, and he himself trusted the Headmaster implicitly, but there were some people whom he would never have confidence in; and two of them were currently physically closer to his godson than he.  There was irony in that.

Just then, three owls—two school screech owls and a tiny little hyperactive one—swooped into his small cave carrying a large ham, a dozen cakes, and some fruit, followed by a small barn owl with a missive.  The three of them must have discovered the entrance to the kitchens, to be sending this much food.  Unloading the burdens of his food deliverers, he sent them off again and turned to the fourth owl.  

The flowing script belonged to the Headmaster.

_ Sirius,_

_We are in need of some face-to-face communication…._

Author's Note Part Two (this is becoming a habit, isn't it): I'm Evil, I know.  The next chapter should tell you who was standing on the other side of the door Remus opened last chapter--really!  I just had to get some Siriusness in here grin.


	10. Chapter Nine: Sisters and Signs

Author's Note: Who's at the door, you ask?  Read on and find out!  I wasn't getting to the promised Sirius and Sosia meeting as quickly as I had projected and the Sirius fans were getting restless grin, so I offered up the previous little interlude to appease them.

I realize I piled cliffie upon cliffie there, rest assured that one is about to be resolved.  The other, however, will not be concluded until the aforementioned meeting.  Hey, I gotta do something to keep you all reading grins.

I was going to sit on this chapter a few more days, but I decided to have pity on you all and post it now.

My Reviewers still give me the greatest encouragement known to writerkind: Sosia Camillina, you keep me on my toes with your anticipatory (and plot bunny infested) comments; Rugi and Gwena, your Guide challenges me not to follow conventions and you are wonderfully quick to get on my case when I'm procrastinating; Torquemada, I love how much you enjoy my story; Fainting Maid, so sorry I was so late; Nicky and Rusalka, I'm delighted that you found my story and are fond of it already; and look, Voltora's back waves!

A special hello to M.P.B., I'm so glad you are reading and enjoying my story!  Give all the kiddies hugs from me!

That's enough of that, or my A/N will be longer than the story!

Chapter Nine: Sisters and Signs

As she began to serve them both a freshly made breakfast of porridge, browned mushrooms, eggs, sausage, toast and marmalade, the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it."  Remus rose from the table and made for the door. "It's probably Sam, come to check on us." He muttered under his breath as he reached the door and pulled it open.

It was most decidedly not Sam.

It was the blonde woman from the restaurant the previous afternoon—Renee, if he remembered correctly.  Blinking, he stood there, a bit taken aback.  Of the people he would have anticipated seeing, for some reason she had not figured into his expectations.

She did not seem nearly as surprised to see him as he was to see her.

"Still here, are you?"  She inquired tartly, as she remained patiently on the front step.

"Yes," and he stepped aside to allow her in.  "Sosia, it is…"  He turned to the visitor politely, "Renee, correct?"

"Correct."  She replied while divesting herself of coat and hat.  Her expression was, however, both perplexed and a touch stormy as he preceded her into the kitchen.

"Renee." Remus finished his introduction as he sat down again at the table, waiting for Sosia to seat herself before he applied himself to his breakfast.  She offered Renee a plate, which was politely refused, and the two women sat down.

"Sosia?"  Renee dove right in, killing any consideration of diversionary small talk. "Sam didn't mention that your name had changed when he got home last night."

"With everything that happened, no doubt it slipped his mind." Sosia did not seem disturbed by her directness; instead she seemed relieved.

"So, Millie is a made-up name?  I suppose Tomlinson isn't correct either."  Remus noticed that Renee was a great deal more openly confrontational than Sam.  She seemed to be taking the deception as a personal insult.

"Not precisely, my middle name is Aemilia and my mother's maiden name was Tomlinson.  My name in full is Sosia Aemilia Black."

"And you're a witch."  Remus could hear the patent skepticism in her tone and groaned inwardly.  He devoutly hoped that they were not about to be in for a repeat of last evening.

"How much did your brother tell you?"

"I'm not sure, he told me about your being a witch—which I will withhold any judgment on until later, he told me of the reasons you came to London all those years ago and about your brother's presumed innocence.  In short, he told me a lot of things that I find very difficult to believe and a lot of things that are just plain ludicrous.  For instance," she turned to face Remus, "did you actually change a chair into a wolf?"

"Yes."

"Right.  Millie—or Sosia, or whatever we should call you now—I want some straight answers and I want them now.  What exactly is going on?"  Renee was building up a good base of righteous indignation. "Because if you are leading my brother along the primrose path…"  She let the threat hang for a moment.

"Everything I told Sam was completely truthful.  If you would like, I can offer you the same sort of proof."

"What?  Are you going to change the table into a wolf?"  Renee leaned back crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at both of them cynically.

"Perhaps not, that would interrupt breakfast.  What would convince you?  A pincushion into a hedgehog?  A beetle into a button?  The teakettle into a tortoise?"

"Please no," interjected Remus easily, recognizing Sosia's plan of attack. "I haven't had my second cup yet and the tea is never the same after one of those transfigurations."

Renee was put off balance by this exchange and sat forward, uncrossing her arms slightly.  Before she could find a suitable retort, Sosia pulled her wand from her apron pocket and tapped the empty plate sitting beside her.

"_Substancio Liquidus."_

The plate, no longer made of porcelain, now rippled as her wand withdrew from its surface.  Renee gasped, reaching out to touch the transparent surface of the object.  Her hand went through the plate and she jerked it back, dripping.

"It's water!"  She marveled.  "How is it, I mean how does it… what's keeping it together?"

"Magic.  I changed the material, not the object itself; so until directed otherwise, it is still a plate and will retain that shape."

"Is that really a magic wand?"

"Yes.  I know it sounds silly to someone that grew up on fairytales, but witches and wizards do use them extensively."  Remus couldn't help but note her choice of wording there, not "we" but "witches and wizards".  She was not nearly as reconciled to the idea of returning to their world as she would like him to believe.

"May I see it?"  Remus looked up at this, suddenly alert.  A witch or wizard was always very careful about who they allowed to handle their wand.  A great deal of mischief could be done through a subtle meddling with another's wand.  It was a trick the Marauders had pulled often enough; filch someone's wand and tamper with it just slightly, then sit back and watch the show.  Sosia held out her wand and Renee hesitantly picked it up, turning it over in her hands.  

No, he was being paranoid.  She was a Muggle after all, what could she do to a wand?

"Could I do magic with this?"  She asked, after admiring the smooth feel of the wood.

"Not very likely," Remus answered her before Sosia could. "A wand is a more of a tool than a source of power in and of itself.  A person's wand acts as a focus for their innate gifts.  That is the root of the maxim 'the wand chooses the wizard' and why another's wand will never work as well as your own; the wand that you end up with is the one which works best with your particular talents and personality."

"Thank you, professor."  Renee quirked an eyebrow and handed the wand back to Sosia, who wrinkled her nose at him and winked.

"Sorry," he laughed, "habit.  After you teach for awhile, it becomes second nature to explain concepts out; saves on questions later."

"Don't believe a word of it," Sosia contradicted.  "He's always been that way, in school one of his nicknames was 'Professor Lupin'."  She was grinning at him, the familiar sparkle of 'Black Mischief' in her eyes.

"One of his nicknames?"  Renee inquired, interestedly.  She was certainly recovering from the shock at a faster rate than her brother.

"Oh yes, he had a couple of them."

"That's more than enough about me," Remus interrupted hastily, before Sosia could go any further. "We've got a busy day ahead of us and we really should get started."  With that, he gathered up the breakfast dishes and put them in the sink.  Without a second thought, he flicked his wand at them and they began to clean themselves. "Is there anything you need to do to prepare, Sosia?"

"Excuse me, I just know I'm going to regret asking this but, are those dishes actually washing themselves?"  Renee pointed towards the sink, eyes wide. "And if they are, have you ever seen _The Sword in the Stone_?"

"Yes they are, and no I don't believe I have.  What is _The Sword in the Stone_?"

"It's an animated film by Disney about young King Arthur and Merlin.  At one point the entire kitchen cleans itself, but things get out of hand.  If fact," Renee frowned in thought for a moment, "most of the time, when magic appears in a story, it gets out of hand."

"I suspect that is because the only time a Muggle, that's a non-magic person, is ever likely to witness magic is when it has gotten out of control.  It is quite rare for a trained witch or wizard to lose control of a spell."

Renee sat back in her chair, holding the cup of tea Sosia had finally convinced her to take in both hands, and stared at the kitchen sink for a long moment. "You know, when Sam came home last night and told me what had happened, I thought that either he had lost his mind or you had come up with the best story to cover a moment of indiscretion that I'd ever heard." She nodded towards Remus and Sosia blushed. "Neither of which seemed very likely, knowing the two of you.  His mind's too sharp for him to have gone suddenly bonzo on me, and you're too besotted to cheat."

"Thanks, I think." Sosia replied, wryly.

"Think nothing of it," Renee returned, grinning, as she put her teacup down and stood up. "I've got to be down at the restaurant to open up for the prep crew.  I assume you will need the day off?  He said something about a busy day before he started going all Sorcerer's Apprentice on the dishes, didn't he?"

"Ah, yes." Sosia looked uncomfortable, "Remus and I have some traveling to do, and I may not be able to come in for a few days.  I know that's going to cause problems with the scheduling, but it really can't be avoided." She spread her hands out in a gesture of helplessness.

"Don't fret about it, what's the use of being senior waitress if you can't rearrange the schedule every now and again, eh?" Renee smiled, "besides I'm sure the manager, now that she knows you aren't playing her brother false, will be very understanding." And with a wink and a wave, Renee gathered her things and was out the door.

Remus looked after her, bemused. "Is she always so..."

"Forceful?  Yes.  Renee has personality, and to spare.  Don't misunderstand; she has always been a good and a dear friend to me and she really is a wonderful person.  But she can rub people the wrong way at times; tact was never one of her strong suits.  The only time she ever employs it is on the job."

Remus shook his head, wondering if Sosia's marrying into that family was really the best idea she'd ever had.  _Yes, because you're **only** thinking of her happiness, right?_  A sarcastic little voice intruded upon his thoughts.  He really disliked that little voice, it was blunt and cynical… and all too often more accurate than he was comfortable with.

_And comfort is what this is all about, isn't it?  Your comfort.  And Sam and Renee don't fit in to your comfortable little world, where you pine for what you can't have and you keep her just out of reach. And married is just a little **too** out of reach, isn't it?_

Shut up, we never had any sort of understanding.  And I'm not that selfish.  If she wants to marry the man, I won't stand in the way.

_My point exactly.  We both know how you feel about her, but you're too cowardly to either act on it or turn away from it completely._

How I **felt** about her, as in past tense.  I don't even know her anymore; it's been more than twelve years.

Right, and I imagined that flip-flop your heart did—and the nosedive your intellect took—as soon as you saw her again.

Yes.  Besides, she's Sirius' **sister**.  I don't actually have an active death wish.

_Didn't stop you before._

Didn't I already tell you to shut up?

_And I started listening to you when?_

Remus sighed, rubbing his hand over his face and rising from the table.  "I'm going to get a bit more rest.  We've both had a long night, and I have a feeling that tonight is not going to be any shorter."  And with that he entered the sitting room again, collapsed back onto the sofa and closed his eyes, hoping that a few good hours of sleep would quiet that annoying little voice.

_Not likely._


	11. Chapter Ten (Part the First): Traveling

Author's Note:  I'm so sorry to have disappeared off the face of the earth!  I believe that this is the longest I've gone without updating this story.  You see, what happened is that—almost four weeks ago—my wonderful laptop—containing an almost finished version of this chapter—just shut down for no apparent reason and we have not been able to revive it yet.  So I'm posting the first two pages of this chapter, which is all I've been able to reconstruct--due to a severe lack of computer availability.  I will post the rest as I am able.  Thank you all for your patience!

Chapter 10 (Part the First): Traveling

The Knight Bus was due at dusk.

Both Remus and Sosia had changed their Muggle clothing for the robes Dumbledore had sent with Fawkes.  Sosia, wearing her new burgundy robes, was pulling on a fine thick woolen cloak that had come out of the trunk in the library.  She had admitted to keeping most of her magical belongings locked away in there since coming to London.  As she had been busy extracting the cloak from the depths of the trunk, Remus had spotted some scrolls, as well as an assortment of bits and pieces, that he recognized as Sirius'.  Personal effects Remus had searched for, but never found, after the Potter's deaths.  Possessions Sirius would _not_ have wanted the Ministry to lay hold of.  He'd often wondered where those things had gone.

Another pair of objects to emerge from the trunk were a beautifully made Paisley scarf and a pair of expensive brown leather gloves.  These too stirred memories.

"Aren't those?"

"My graduation present from James," Sosia confirmed.  "I couldn't bear to leave them behind, even if it isn't quite legal to use them here."

She fingered the material of the scarf pensively which, like the gloves, was charmed to always keep its owner warm.  Both fell under the aegis of Proscribed Objects.  The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office was duty-bound to confiscate such objects, especially if used around Muggles.  None of which really mattered—as a formal Exile, Sosia was not supposed to be in possession of any sort of Magical Items.  Dumbledore had taken a risk in sending Sosia her wand.  If discovered, the trunk's contents along with her possession of a wand… Well, her case would certainly skip right over Arthur Weasley's department and directly into the Exile Non-Compliance section of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

The doorbell sounded, causing them both to jump.

"I'll answer it this time."  Sosia looped the scarf around her neck, stuffed the gloves in her pockets, and headed for the front door.  Remus followed, frowning slightly.  It was early yet for the Knight Bus' arrival, the sky was barely beginning to darken.  Sosia opened the door to… emptiness.  Not a soul stirred out on the pavement, much less on the front stoop.

A shrill whistle pierced the air.  Looking towards the noise's origin, just to the left of the front gate, Remus blinked nonplussed as the void of the street was filled by two men, a woman, and a violently purple double-decker bus all shimmering into existence.

The woman was wearing robes of a dark plum that complimented her pale complexion, deep brown eyes, and hair the color of toasted almonds that curled around her shoulders.  Shorter than both her associates, she nevertheless gave an off impression of authority and confidence.  She looked of an age with the older of the two men.  Remus felt he ought to recognize her for some reason.

The two men accompanying her were as dissimilar as sun and shadow.  The younger man was slim and tall, a clean-limbed youth with hair the color of burnished copper and eyes of slate blue.  His robes were of an expensive looking russet material.  The other was both shorter and stockier than his companion, a slightly older man with dark brown hair and a careworn face.  He looked fit but tired, wearing business-like robes of a gray-green that set off eyes the color of sunlight through leaves.

Leaning upon a well-turned cane of Ash wood and walking with a pronounced limp, the older man came forward, revealing a brace on his left leg.  As his uneven gait brought him closer to the pair in the doorway, he raised his free hand in greeting.

"Hello Sosia."  His deep voice carried across the short distance that now separated him from the entranceway.  He smiled slightly, as if in encouragement.

"Titus!  What on earth brings you here?"  Her tone conveyed both startlement and caution.  If the surprises kept piling up like this, Sosia was going to go into shock before he got her to Hogwarts, Remus mused privately.

"Dumbledore sent Kirley and I," he gestured towards the younger man, "to accompany you to Hogwarts.  Just in case."  His eyes flickered to Remus.

"Lupin."

"Ferule."  Remus responded in a neutral tone.

"And Thessily here happened to join us enroute, she has business of her own to conduct with the Headmaster."  Titus continued, indicating the woman, who was standing somewhat apart from everyone else.  Remus mind suddenly supplied him with the reason for her strange familiarity and he blushed a deep crimson.  He devoutly hoped that she had forgotten by now the prank pulled on her by himself and the other Marauders in her fifth year.

Meanwhile, Titus had beckoned the young man forward for a more formal introduction.  "Do you remember Kirley McCormack?  He was a couple years behind our lot at Hogwarts, but…"

Remus had only a moment to wonder what the lead guitarist for the Weird Sisters was doing running errands for the Headmaster of Hogwarts when Sosia responded.

"Of course I remember Kirley."  She turned to the young man and smiled warmly.  "You were the fourth year that detangled that blasted 'Little Black Spot' prophecy."

He grinned back at her, obviously delighted that she'd recalled the incident.  "Yes.  That prophecy saved my life, so it did.  Made for good lyrics too."

That explained what he was doing here, then.  Now what about Miss Buckram and Mr. Ferule?

"We really should get going."  Titus swept his hand back to indicate the impatient and curious faces of the Knight Bus' conductor and driver peering at them from out of the bus' front windscreen.  "Are you ready?"

Sosia looked to Remus.

"I suppose we are as ready as we'll ever be," he replied and, picking up his bag, headed towards the bus, preceded by the other two men.  Thessily had already reboarded.

"Oh wait!"  Sosia dashed back into the house.

~~~

To be continued…. Someday soon, I hope!


	12. Chapter Ten (COMPLETE): Traveling

Author's Note: I live!  Here is the promised completed Chapter Ten and I promise there will be Siriusness next chapter.  However, with my new job and the total uncertainty of my computer situation, an ETA on Chapter Eleven is impossible to predict.  Please, just check back every once in a while and see if I've been able to upload.

A serious debt of gratitude goes out to my devoted Reviewers—Sosia Camillina, Rugi and Gwena, and Voltora—for continuing to prod me for the rest of this chapter.  I couldn't have done it without you.

To all the rest of my Reviewers—Emlizanne, Giesbrecht, Tarawen, Torquemada, MPB, Chalice, Harue-chan, Milkyweed, and Angel on Fire—your support in reviewing is wonderfully appreciated.  I look forward with anticipation to reading each and every review and I hope you have not given up on me yet.  Although, I have a feeling that if I don't get a move on it here with the promised sibling reunion, some of my own Percussive Encouragement might be heading my way (grin).

Disclaimer?  Not even gonna bother, you know it.

Chapter 10 (COMPLETE): Traveling

The Knight Bus was due at dusk.

Both Remus and Sosia had changed their Muggle clothing for the robes Dumbledore had sent with Fawkes.  Sosia, wearing her new burgundy robes, was pulling on a fine thick woolen cloak that had come out of the trunk in the library.  She had admitted to keeping most of her magical belongings locked away in there since coming to London.  As she had been busy extracting the cloak from the depths of the trunk, Remus had spotted some scrolls, as well as an assortment of bits and pieces, that he recognized as Sirius'.  Personal effects Remus had searched for, but never found, after the Potter's deaths.  Possessions Sirius would _not_ have wanted the Ministry to lay hold of.  He'd often wondered where those things had gone.

Another pair of objects to emerge from the trunk were a beautifully made Paisley scarf and a pair of expensive brown leather gloves.  These too stirred memories.

"Aren't those?"

"My graduation present from James," Sosia confirmed.  "I couldn't bear to leave them behind, even if it isn't quite legal to use them here."

She fingered the material of the scarf pensively which, like the gloves, was charmed to always keep its owner warm.  Both fell under the aegis of Proscribed Objects.  The Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Office was duty-bound to confiscate such objects, especially if used around Muggles.  None of which really mattered—as a formal Exile, Sosia was not supposed to be in possession of any sort of Magical Items.  Dumbledore had taken a risk in sending Sosia her wand.  If discovered, the trunk's contents along with her possession of a wand… Well, her case would certainly skip right over Arthur Weasley's department and directly into the Exile Non-Compliance section of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

The doorbell sounded, causing them both to jump.

"I'll answer it this time."  Sosia looped the scarf around her neck, stuffed the gloves in her pockets, and headed for the front door.  Remus followed, frowning slightly.  It was early yet for the Knight Bus' arrival, the sky was barely beginning to darken.  Sosia opened the door to… emptiness.  Not a soul stirred out on the pavement, much less on the front stoop.

A shrill whistle pierced the air.  Looking towards the noise's origin, just to the left of the front gate, Remus blinked nonplussed as the void of the street was filled by two men, a woman, and a violently purple double-decker bus all shimmering into existence.

The woman was wearing robes of a dark plum that complimented her pale complexion, deep brown eyes, and hair the color of toasted almonds that curled around her shoulders.  Shorter than both her associates, she nevertheless gave an off impression of authority and confidence.  She looked of an age with the older of the two men.  Remus felt he ought to recognize her for some reason.

The two men accompanying her were as dissimilar as sun and shadow.  The younger man was slim and tall, a clean-limbed youth with hair the color of burnished copper and eyes of slate blue.  His robes were of an expensive looking russet material.  The other was both shorter and stockier than his companion, a slightly older man with dark brown hair and a careworn face.  He looked fit but tired, wearing business-like robes of a gray-green that set off eyes the color of sunlight through leaves.

Leaning upon a well-turned cane of Ash wood and walking with a pronounced limp, the older man came forward, revealing a brace on his left leg.  As his uneven gait brought him closer to the pair in the doorway, he raised his free hand in greeting.

"Hello Sosia."  His deep voice carried across the short distance that now separated him from the entranceway.  He smiled slightly, as if in encouragement.

"Titus!  What on earth brings you here?"  Her tone conveyed both startlement and caution.  If the surprises kept piling up like this, Sosia was going to go into shock before he got her to Hogwarts, Remus mused privately.

"Dumbledore sent Kirley and I," he gestured towards the younger man, "to accompany you to Hogwarts.  Just in case."  His eyes flickered to Remus.

"Lupin."

"Ferule."  Remus responded in a neutral tone.

"And Thessily here happened to join us enroute, she has business of her own to conduct with the Headmaster."  Titus continued, indicating the woman, who was standing somewhat apart from everyone else.  Remus mind suddenly supplied him with the reason for her strange familiarity and he blushed a deep crimson.  He devoutly hoped that she had forgotten by now the prank pulled on her by himself and the other Marauders in her fifth year.

Meanwhile, Titus had beckoned the young man forward for a more formal introduction.  "Do you remember Kirley McCormack?  He was a couple years behind our lot at Hogwarts, but…"

Remus had only a moment to wonder what the lead guitarist for the Weird Sisters was doing running errands for the Headmaster of Hogwarts when Sosia responded.

"Of course I remember Kirley."  She turned to the young man and smiled warmly.  "You were the fourth year that detangled that blasted 'Little Black Spot' prophecy."

He grinned back at her, obviously delighted that she'd recalled the incident.  "Yes.  That prophecy saved my life, so it did.  Made for good lyrics too."

That explained what he was doing here, then.  Now what about Miss Buckram and Mr. Ferule?

"We really should get going."  Titus swept his hand back to indicate the impatient and curious faces of the Knight Bus' conductor and driver peering at them from out of the bus' front windscreen.  "Are you ready?"

Sosia looked to Remus.

"I suppose we are as ready as we'll ever be," he replied and, picking up his bag, headed towards the bus, preceded by the other two men.  Thessily had already reboarded.

"Oh wait!"  Sosia dashed back into the house.

Remus had paused in the act of boarding the Knight Bus, half-turning, and had begun to wonder if he ought to go back in after her, when she came pelting back out, stuffing a small red velvet bag into her cloak pocket.

~~~

Remus stretched out on his bed and observed his traveling companions through sleep-hooded eyes.  One would be hard-pressed to find a more unlikely group—a high-ranking Ministry official, a lawyer, a famous musician, an Exile, and a Werewolf.  All we need is an escaped convict and we'll be complete, he thought with grim humor as he put his hands behind his head and crossed his ankles.

Thessily Buckram sat cross-legged on the bed across the aisle, various scrolls and parchments scattered around her.  She had a copy of the Evening Prophet in one hand, a quill in the other, a blank scroll positioned by one knee, and a vaguely disturbed expression on her face as she read while absently chewing on the quill end.  She had joined the Ministry shortly after leaving Hogwarts and had risen quickly through its ranks.  Following in her father's footsteps, she chose to work in the Department of Mysteries and had just recently become the youngest head of that Department in five hundred years, at only thirty-nine years of age.  Her grandmother, Gorgayse Buckram, had been a great beauty in both youth and old age—Remus recalled vividly his boyhood crush and the appropriately named Charms professor—and her granddaughter bid fair to outstrip her, though she was too driven and opinionated for Remus' taste.  At least, that's how he remembered her from school.

To his left, Kirley sat half-reclined against the headboard of his bed, a magicked acoustic guitar in his hands.  He was strumming softly and humming a slow and melancholy tune, quite unlike most of the Weird Sisters repertoire, seemingly oblivious to the bouncing and rocking of the bus around him.  An enigma, Kirley had been four years below the Marauders at Hogwarts and a Ravenclaw on top of that, so Remus acquaintance with him did not extend past the visual recognition of the school hallways.  Remus was deeply curious as to what part the young guitarist had to play in Dumbledore's grand scheme and how and why Kirley was involved in all this.

On the other side of Remus, Titus sat perched on the edge of Sosia's bed, his bad leg resting on the floor.  Sosia was leaning on her side, left elbow propping her up and legs curled under her.  Titus was describing some obscure facet of trial procedure, using his hands to illustrate it in the air.  Titus Ferule, Attorney-at-Law.  Not the first career Remus would have predicted for his formerly boisterous and flighty schoolmate.  A Gryffindor a year ahead of the Marauders and the eldest of a pair of twin sons born to the Potions Master, Phiddipiddes Ferule, Titus had responded to the pressures of his position in life by determining at a young age to never make a firm decision on _anything._  "Indecisive Aggressive" was the term Lily had often used to describe him.  " A Flake" was the term Sirius used.  Remus had heard that the… accident had changed him.  No longer the energetic young gadabout, he had become solemn and withdrawn, pursuing his chosen profession with a fierce drive that had given him a reputation as the most tenacious, knowledgeable, and incorruptible mind in the legal system.  Not a man Remus would relish confronting in a court of law… or out of one, for that matter.  He had also, unfortunately, discovered Remus' condition a few years back and was, as a consequence, somewhat suspicious of his every action and motive.

Sighing, Remus closed his eyes and fell into a shallower level of consciousness, not quite asleep but not quite awake either.  The bus went trundling on, with infrequent stops to let off queasy passengers, as he rested uneasily.  Finally, the young conductor called out "Hogsmeade" and Remus sat up, groaning, and began to gather his few belongings.  Kirley preceded him off the bus, still humming softly to himself.  Titus followed him, separating him subtly from the two female members of their entourage.

As Remus descended the steps to the street in front of the Three Broomsticks, his keen eyes caught a glimpse of movement across the street, a patch of velvety blackness moving among the shadows, and a small smile of surprise flitted across his features.  Cautiously, he glanced back at Titus.  To his great relief, Titus had his back to the street as he handed Thessily out of the bus.

"This is where I leave you." She announced, speaking for the first time after hours of silent travel.  "I must locate Ludo Bagman, we've things to discuss."  She strode away purposefully towards the Hog's Head.

"My, that sounds foreboding." Remarked Kirley, looking after Miss Buckram curiously.

"Yes, well she's taken charge of the search for Bertha Jorkins—at Fudge's personal request—and she has always taken her work very seriously.  I wouldn't like to be in Ludo's shoes when she gets hold of him."  Titus replied as he handed Sosia down from the bus.

"What's happened to Bertha Jorkins?" She inquired.

"Disappeared while on vacation in Albania last summer.  Ludo wouldn't be in for it quite so badly if he hadn't neglected to do anything about it until well into Fall."  Kirley shook his head.  "She's a member of his department you see, Magical Games and Sports, and that makes the first responsibility for initiating a search his."  He started off towards the castle as he finished his explanation.  "I've a meeting to get to myself.  I'll be seeing you Titus.  Mr. Lupin, Miss Black, it's been a pleasure meeting you both again.  I hope to renew the acquaintance under less time-restraint at a later date."  And with a small salute, he was off.

"Come on," Titus gestured after Kirley's rapidly retreating back, "Dumbledore's expecting you."

He led them down the familiar road leading from the village to the school grounds.  Surreptitiously, Remus glanced into the dark alleyways between the shops and homes lining the village square, but he did not catch another glimpse of the large dark shape he had recognized earlier.  It was a relatively quick journey up to the castle and the three of them reached the gates in what seemed like no time at all.

"I have some business of my own to conduct, so I'll be leaving the two of you here—as per my instructions.  The Headmaster will be waiting for you in his study."  Though clearly unhappy with these arrangements, Titus nevertheless bowed stiffly and, turning towards the forest, strode off as quickly as his braced leg would allow.

That left Remus and Sosia standing alone at the open gateway to Hogwarts.  A moment of awkward silence passed, then both spoke at the same time.

"Shall we go then?"

"We ought to get going."

Halting, they both laughed and as Sosia smiled, Remus gestured for her to precede him up the pathway to the main doors.  As they reached the massive doors where torches blazed, a substantial shape loomed out of the shadowed darkness of the grounds into the torchlight.

"Who's there?  Bless me, Professor Lupin.  What're ye doin' here?"  It was Hagrid, as loquacious as ever.  "I've jist bin out waterin' them Beauxbaton horses."  He stopped short when he had stepped fully into the light and caught sight of Sosia.  A smile split the mass of black beard and crinkled in his eyes.  "Well, if it in't young Miss Black."  His countenance darkened as he verbalized her last name, clearing a moment later as he continued.  "Imagine seein' you after all… " He paused.  "Anyhow, it does me good ter see yer face agin, so it does."  He clapped a massive hand on her shoulder and drew her into a bear hug.

"Ta Hagrid, it is good to see you too." Came her muffled reply.  She gave him a strained smile as he released her, clearly nervous now that they were almost there.

"Well, I expect yer here ta see the Headmaster, so I'll let yer get on with it."  Hagrid continued on to his original destination, the Groundskeeper's tool shed and went in.

Walking into the castle was like taking a step back in time.  Last year had been like that for Remus and now was no different.  He watched Sosia for her reaction to the sameness of it all.

"You almost expect James and Sirius to come rumbling down the staircase, flush with some grand new prank, don't you."  She said softly, looking around with misty eyes.

"Yes, so very little has changed.  But those few changes make worlds of difference in their own ways."  He replied, and extending his hand, gestured for her to follow him.  "Come."  And he led the way towards the Gargoyle guarded entrance to the Headmaster's office.

Looking around the statue's base, he spotted a small phoenix carving and bending down he carefully put his left pinky finger over the chest of the figure.  A small jolt went through his body and he looked back up at the gargoyle.

"Treacle Fudge."

Remus stepped back as the gargoyle leapt aside and the stairway was revealed.  Stepping onto the moving spiral staircase, they rode up in companionable silence, as Remus contemplated once again what could possibly be so vitally important that Dumbledore would call them in so precipitously and send an escort.

Sosia stepped onto the landing and abruptly froze, causing Remus to have to catch himself quickly before he ran into her.  Ahead of them, a door shut softly and Severus Snape turned to face the pair blocking the stairway.

Sosia had gone rigid as all the blood drained from her face.  And, if anything, Snape looked even more perturbed at her sudden appearance—his eyes were wide with shock, his breath drawn in swift alarm, and the hand still resting on the door handle was white knuckled, as was his face.

The motionless tableau remained for what seemed like an age, then the door handle under Severus' hand moved and Dumbledore appeared in the open doorway.

"Ah, you've arrived.  Excellent."  Dumbledore broke the brittle silence easily.  "Severus, would you be so good as to begin the implementation of the precautions we spoke of?"

"Of course, Headmaster."  The Potions Master glided away with only a swift backward glance at the two new arrivals after he had begun his descent on the stairway they had hastily vacated for him.

"Come in, come in.  We have much to discuss."  And Dumbledore ushered them into his office and shut the door.


	13. Chapter Eleven: In Which We Play With Ti...

Author's Note:  Will you look at that, an update!  Will wonders never cease!  I've taken up the Fifth Book Challenge at the Sugar Quill and officially pledged to finish this monster by June 21st, 2003.  Currently crossing all crossable appendages that I'll be able to keep to that deadline.  I _have_ got the entirety of the final chapter written out already, I just have to get there from here!

I must thank my faithful readers, if there still are any, for sticking with me.  I was basically completely offline from May 2002 to mid-January 2003, as well as suffering a momentous case of writer's block.  Hoping that this signals an end to that problem at least, the internet access already being solved.  Enjoy, review, and come back soon!

Disclaimer:  See all previous chapters.

Chapter Eleven:  In Which We Play With Time…

Three and a half months later…

The large black dog came to a loping halt outside the large rather isolated old house.  Sitting back on his haunches, he studied the edifice, looking for any signs of life within.  To a Muggle passing by, there would be none.  Even a wizard would have to pay careful attention to notice the telltale marks of old and powerful wards still surrounding the residence.  The dog just followed his nose, well used to the place.

He trotted around to the back of the house, entering a large walled garden through a swinging metal gate.  Past an old garden shed, he came upon the half broken doors that led down into the house's cellar.  He paused for a moment before entering and, as a biting wind cut through the night, that passing Muggle might assume that the shaggy stray was contemplating some shelter out of the bitter night air.

He would have been surprised at the relative cleanliness of the cellar, once the black beast stepped over the tingling threshold and down the dark stairs.  He would have be astonished when, once t he animal had cross the dark cellar and ascended the stairs to an interior door located there, the great dog shimmered and seemed to stretch upwards, eventually settling into the shape of a tall dark haired man.

Gaunt form rough living following years of mental abuse, which still reflected out of his pale quicksilver eyes, the man leaned briefly against the doorjamb—both his journey and his news weighing heavily upon him.  After a moment he shook himself, almost like the dog he has so recently been, and knocked softly on the heavy door.

Footsteps sounded on the other side almost immediately and the smell of a wood fueled fire and freshly cooking meat assailed his nostrils as the door opened and a man with gray flecked hair pulled him into the warmth and light of the house with a rough hug and a glad cry of "Sirius!".  He found himself being led down the familiar hall towards the kitchen before he had a chance to reply to his friend's chatter.

"You look worn out, old friend, and full of news."  Well, Remus had always been perceptive.  "But, some sustenance first, I think, as your skin looks quite ready to fall right off your bones if it does not get some sort of substance to hold it up!"  Yes, definitely perceptive.  Sirius gratefully dug into the proffered offering of what was obviously a late dinner as his amused host set about fixing himself another helping.

The hypothetical passing Muggle, already astonished by the dog's transformation, would have been truly amazed by the interior of the seemingly rundown and abandoned dwelling.  True, all the furnishings were old and many were worn with the passing of the years and much use, but all were obviously well looked after by a loving and careful hand.  There was light and warmth and an ineffable "lived in" feeling about the place that had soothed many a weary soul over the years.

Sirius settled into the familiar and much loved comfort of the Lupin family kitchen, almost expecting Justina Lupin to come bustling in from the pantry or old Valerius to wander in, completely absorbed in some incomprehensible ancient text, absently searching for a snack.  It caused a pang when he recalled that both these dear folk had died while he was imprisoned, leaving Remus well and truly alone in the world.

Once his initial hunger was satisfied, Sirius cleared his throat.  Remus looked up from his own meal expectantly.

"News and food can go together," Sirius began, reaching for a mug of hot tea.  "This is too important to delay any longer."

Catching the gravity in his old friend's voice, Remus leaned forward intently.

"Is Harry alright?"

"He's safe for the moment."

"What is it, Padfoot?"

"He's come back."

***

Between bites of omelet, sausage, and toast, Sirius relayed the events that had come to light in the past twenty-four hours—everything Harry had told Dumbledore of the incident in the graveyard, what Albus had related later on about and from Barty Crouch Jr., the confrontation between the Headmaster and the Minister of Magic, his own confrontation with Snape, and finally Dumbledore's instructions for the two of them.

"I hated leaving Harry," he finished.  "But this was just too important.  Dumbledore will keep him safe, if anyone can.  I have to believe that."  Wearily, he leaned his head upon his hand, resting his elbow on the table.

"Cedric Diggory," whispered Remus, half disbelieving, lost in the events that had just been unfolded before him.

Sirius looked up startled, then in comprehension.

"You taught the lad, didn't you?"

"Yes, an intelligent and diligent young man, a true Hufflepuff."  He smiled briefly.  "He would have made a good and decent member of society once he left school."

Both men were silent for a long moment, each mourning, in his own way, that loss of a young man taken too early from this life.  One mourned for the boy he had taught, the other for the potential cut off too soon, and for a boy with whom he would never now have the opportunity to acquaint himself.

Remus was the first to break the sad reverie.  Standing abruptly, he began to put away the dinner things.  Casting a scouring charm over the sink, he looked at Sirius.

"I should get moving, it's going to take awhile to track everyone down."

He paused, looking intently at Sirius.  Then he smiled.

"That blue porcelain cat on the mantle is a portkey."  He gestured towards a small statue of a sleeping feline residing on the left hand side of the fireplace.  "It will take you directly to Sosia's backdoor…. She needs to hear all this as well, and she's one member of the old crowd that I _can_ send you to collect!"


	14. Chapter Twelve: In Which We Go Back A B...

Author's Note:  Ha-hah!  Another update!  At this rate, I might actually meet the Fifth Book Challenge!  Stranger things have happened.  Two birds with one stone here folks, the meeting with Dumbledore and…. the siblings' reunion.

Enjoy!  Review!  Come back for more later!

Disclaimer: Don't own it, never have, never will.

Chapter Twelve: In Which We Go Back A Bit…

Three and a half months earlier…

_It was a dark and stormy night._

Remus pulled the hood of his cloak lower over his face to shield himself from the frigid blast of the wind as his mind went tripping off into the whimsical.  Looking ahead, he could barely make out Sosia climbing the mountainside ahead of him, her cloak wrapped tightly around her petite frame and looking for all the world like she'd just stepped out of a Bronte novel.  Her white face was resolute, but her pale eyes betrayed an anxiety with which he could sympathize.

Struggling up the rocky path—_path?  This is barely a game trail!_—in the pitch dark, the two travelers were almost imperceptible to any spying eyes down in the village.  The black storm clouds, whipping wind, and occasional pelting rain made equally sure that none of the village folk would feel like taking an evening stroll and thus catch sight of the miserable duo.  As they scrabbled over yet another jagged outcropping, Remus called for a rest.  He was not yet fully recovered from the last full moon and the past 48 hours had not been much of a benefit to him in that area.

He and Sosia seated themselves on the outcropping, looking through the murky night to where the outline of the great castle could barely be made out.  Squinting, Remus fancied he could see a light still shining in the Headmaster's office.  Absurd, of course, he could scarcely make out his hand in front of his face clearly, much less a light more than a mile away.  All the same, he was sure that the old Professor was getting very little sleep tonight, what with all that had happened.

*****

After he had shut the door behind their entrance into the familiar confines of the Headmaster's office, Dumbledore had turned and startled Sosia by embracing her like a lost child, holding her close for a long while.

"My dear, my dear," he exclaimed as he finally released her, " it is so good to see your lovely face again."

Blinking back tears, she replied, "and you, Professor.  It's been…. too long," she continued awkwardly.

"Indeed it has, and there are many things that are now overdue because of it."  He looked soberly through his half-moon spectacles at her wan complexion.  "The first is an exceptionally overdue apology.  You were right to keep faith in your brother; he is no murderer, nor ever was one."  Stated simply and sincerely, Sosia nevertheless seemed staggered by the Headmaster's admission.  She sank into one of the overstuffed chairs by the blazing hearth and looked up into Dumbledore's somber eyes.

"I… thank you, sir.  But I do not really deserve any sort of apologies.  I should be the one who is…" she paused, unsure how to proceed.

"You showed great loyalty, Sosia.  Both to your brother and to your instincts."  The old Headmaster paused; a grave faraway look crossed his face.  "I should have had more faith; certainly I could have questioned the circumstances more closely."

She interrupted him with a harsh bitterness in her tone.

"It wasn't loyalty or courage or any other kind of virtue.  You give me too much credit, it was cowardice plain and simple."

"There is nothing pure in cowardice and it is rarely simple," he replied with a kind glint in his eyes.  "You are too unforgiving with yourself, as you always were.  I must take some of the of the blame for this upon myself."

You didn't send him to Azkaban without trial, Professor."  Sosia responded.

"No, and I fear that the man who was responsible for that is paying the price for his past decisions now."

"What?"

Remus and Sosia exchanged confused glances, and Albus began to explain the many strange and disturbing events that were not common knowledge—and certainly not Daily Prophet material.  Bartemius Crouch's strange illness, the intimations that Voldemort was regaining his strength, the strange pain Harry felt in the scar he bore as memorial to the night his parents perished—a pain that seemed to correspond to Voldemort in some perplexing way.

"But why?  Why does the poor child feel Voldemort's presence so keenly?  Didn't the fiend do enough to him that Halloween without his being actively tormented by him for the rest of his life?"  Indignation colored Sosia's idealism.  Remus hadn't realized how much he'd missed her clear-eyed, if sometimes over-simplistic, views of right and wrong until he heard it voiced again.  Her calling was sometimes betrayed by the sudden outbursts of impractical conviction.

Dumbledore's mouth quirked up in an ironic smile as he answered, "What he did to young Harry, whom I assure you is far from a child though he is by no means an adult yet, is precisely why he does feel him in the scar he carries.  It may very well be a blessing in disguise, it has unquestionably saved him once already.

"This cannot be solved in your traditional way, my dear.  These matters are too complex for the narrow view of your profession or your vocation.  We must all take in the whole picture and view it as best we can.  It is difficult, I know; so many pieces are missing and others fit in different manners that previously believed.  But I must have faith in our ability to persevere, otherwise we may as well give up now and throw ourselves to the tender mercies of our enemies."

"I, for one, do not see this as a viable option.  I have witnessed the aftermath of their "tender mercies" as you call them too many times."  Rejoined Remus firmly, his voice passionate as he warmed to his subject.  "In one of my infrequent visits to St. Mungo's, I had the misfortune to stumble across the mental ward after taking a wrong turn in the night.  The killings are bad enough, at least those poor people are out of their misery and their families have closure.  I never again want to look into a man's face, a man who I knew once and who once knew me, I never again want to look and see only vacancy.  I never again want to watch as his family visits him and he does not even recognize his own beloved child.  What happened to Frank and Mary must be headed off, just as surely as preventing others following the fate of James and Lily."

"Frank and Mary?  Frank and Mary Longbottom?  Remus, what happened to Frank and Mary?"

Blinking, Remus responded, "I keep forgetting how much you have missed. "  And he laid out the details of the Longbottom's torture by renegade Death Eaters in hopes of gaining information on Lord Voldemort's whereabouts and the fate that they suffered once captured.

Sosia was silent for a long moment after Remus finished his tale, the only sound in the room the popping of the logs in the great fireplace.  Then an altogether different 'pop' intruded on their reverie as a house elf, tea towel freshly starched and pressed, appeared suddenly beside the Headmaster's desk, looking apologetic.

"Headmaster sir," it piped in the strange high voice that only elves possess, making it hard to distinguish male from female.  "We is sorry to disturb you, but we is sure you'll be wanting to know, sir, the three students visited us again sir.  Asked many questions and upset that new elf."  A slight frown passed over the elf's unlovely visage as it continued.  "They is asking for food, sir, and we gives it to them, is this right, sir?"  The elf looked suddenly hesitant, afraid it had done wrong.

A smile flitted across the Headmaster's face as he turned toward the elf.

"Quite right, Nicksy.  Allow them whatever food they require, I should have foreseen this development."  He smiled more broadly at this.  "Yes, help them all you can, and don't mind their strange questions, students are curious creatures."

"They most certainly is, sir."  A knowing sigh escaped the elf's lips as he bowed and made to go.  Another 'pop' prevented his departure though, as another very different elf appeared in the office.  Wearing, not a clean toga draped tea towel, but rather a bizarre assortment of outlandish fashion choices, the new elf was clearly agitated.

"Mr. Dumbledore, sir."  Calling the Headmaster by his name earned the elf a reproving stare from Nicksy that he ignored completely.  "Sir, I does not think that Winky will last much longer without her Crouchman.  She is too attached, sir, and does not accept her change of circumstances, sir!"

"Calm yourself, Dobby."  The Professor reached down and laid a quieting hand on the elf's shoulder and immediately Dobby grew still, though his eyes still roved about.  "Winky must choose her own path, you cannot choose it for her, and she must let go of her previous life, as you have."

"Ah, but Winky is not thinking her former life was so bad as mine, Dumbledore sir.  She is thinking her Crouchman, he needs her still.  My masters were bad dark wizards, they…"  Dobby trailed off as he spotted Sosia, who was staring amazed at this example of house elf individuality.  "But miss, you is alive!  You is alive and unhurt!  Oh miss, I worried so.  You was our only guest that night and I worried so when he sent you off into the dark all alone!"

Sosia's jaw had dropped during this impassioned little speech and her eyes had darted fearfully between Remus and Dumbledore.  Finally, she summoned up her powers of speech once more.

"You… you're Malfoy's house elf!  What are you doing here?"

"I is no longer Mr. Malfoy's elf, miss.  The great Harry Potter freed Dobby and he is now a _free_ _paid_ _elf_, miss.  I works for Professor Dumbledore and I is getting wages and vacations, miss."  Replied Dobby with satisfaction.  Nicksy, whose scowl had deepened as Dobby's speech went on, positively grimaced at this last statement.  He rushed forward, pulling Dobby back.

"We is sorry you had to hear that, miss.  Dobby does not represent us all, I assure you."

Dobby pulled back and shook off the other elf's grip as Remus finally absorbed the meaning of the exchange between Sosia and the now free elf.

"When were you ever a guest at the Malfoys?"

Nicksy once again attempted to grab Dobby, having decided it was time for them to vacate the premises.  Dobby once again pulled back, this time scampering away from the irate senior elf.

Sosia's eyes betrayed her discomfort, they roamed here and there, never resting on anything for very long and never meeting Remus' eye as she answered.

"Guest is a somewhat ironic euphemism, I was briefly a captive in the Malfoy family home shortly before I left the Wizarding world, _that_ Halloween in fact."

"A captive?  How?  Why?…. _THAT_ Halloween?"  Shocked, Remus would have liked to probe further, but just then he found himself swarmed under by two over-wrought house elves.  Dobby had tried to dash around him, but found the path blocked by a quick-witted Nicksy, so took the only path he knew Nicksy would never dare follow.  He climbed up Remus' leg and attempted to climb onto his shoulders.

"Many things happened that night," the Headmaster replied enigmatically, and because Remus' attention was entirely taken up with controlling the over-excited house elf, only Fawkes observed the sharp glance Sosia shot at the old wizard and the answering challenge in his gaze.

*****

On the move again, Remus and Sosia were very close to reaching their destination on this rough and tumble trail.  Rounding the last turn, the cave's entrance came into view and standing before it, launching a tawny owl into the sky, was a gaunt dark-haired man with pale eyes.  As Remus raised a hand in greeting, Sosia picked up her skirts and dashed past him, fighting the wind the entire way, to fling herself into her brother's arms.  She threw her arms tightly around the brother thought lost to her forever, her dark head reaching only to his chin.  He, in turn, held her close, seemingly beyond words, one hand stroking her long hair as he rested his cheek atop her head and wept unashamedly.

Remus hung back as the siblings clung to one another—not wishing to intrude on their reunion—but after a long moment, Sirius lifted his head and smiled.

"Come here, old friend."

He waved Remus close and drew him into a snug three-way embrace.

Releasing them, Sirius led the way into his hiding place, capturing and clasping one of Sosia's hands in his as they walked.

"Best bow to Buckbeak, I wouldn't want him to get the wrong idea about you two."  Sirius gestured to the back of the cave, where the hippogriff knelt imperiously.  Remus and Sosia both bowed quickly to the proud animal, which nodded back at them and settled down to doze.

"Albus sent that owl to tell me you were coming.  We've a lot to catch up on."

*****


End file.
